Edinburgh Monarchs 54: Isle of Wight Islanders 36
Premier League
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 18th August 2000
Edinburgh won comfortably against an Isle of Wight team that battled hard for every point.
Monarchs took command early in the match with a heat 2 maximum and tree successive heat advantages from heat 4 to heat 6. Further heat wins followed and the match was won by the time the Islanders had their first advantage.
The match was dominated by Robert Eriksson and Peter Carr but both were made to work hard by Ray Morton.
Edinburgh were at full strength. The Islanders had Richard Juul back after his recent injury and also had had Danny Bird back after a longer injury. Tommy Palmer, who is out for the remainder of the season, was replaced by St. Austell's martin Williams. A number of back clouds threatened but the Arena escaped the heavy rainfall that hit Edinburgh. The track looked to be in good condition.
Peter Carr lost the toss and Scott Swain opted for gate position B with Monarchs off 2 and 4 in heat 1.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Ray Morton, Richard Juul, Blair Scott [58.5]
Eriksson and Scott would not have expected an easy ride against the powerful visiting opening pairing and so it turned out. Morton made the gate from the inside trap and Juul tried a second bend cutback that nearly took him to second place. Eriksson and Scott managed to pass him on the outside on the back straight. Juul came back and eventually managed to squeeze inside Blair to take third. Just when it seemed that the Islanders were going to take the lead, Robert Eriksson charged through on the inside of the last bend. Morton seemed to have got ahead in the race to the line but Eriksson got the verdict.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Christian Henry, Will Beveridge, Glen Phillips, Martin Williams [59.6]
Henry and Beveridge gated and pulled away for a very big win.
(5-1) (8-4)
Heat 3: Peter Carr, Danny Bird, Scott Swain, Ross Brady [58.1]
Peter Carr surged ahead with Danny Bird buzzing around on his outside. Ross Brady missed the start and was last going out of the second bend. Brady had no problems rounding Swain but had problems hanging on as Swain came back and passed him. Eventually Carr shook of the attentions of the persistent Danny Bird to win.
(3-3) (11-7)
Heat 4: Kevin Little, Adam Shields, Christian Henry, Glen Phillips [59.1]
Kevin Little and Christian Henry blasted ahead from the tapes with Shields chasing. Christian seemed set to hold on until a slip on the third lap let his compatriot Shields come through on the inside.
(4-2) (15-9)
Heat 5: Peter Carr, Ray Morton, Ross Brady, Richard Juul [57.1]
Carr made a good start but Morton swept around the boards from gate 4 to lead. Carr managed to pass and pulled ahead for an easy win. Ross Brady's bike was putting out a real smokescreen but he managed to stay ahead of Juul to extend Edinburgh's lead
(4-2) (19-11)
Heat 6: Robert Eriksson, Adam Shields, Blair Scott, Martin Williams [58.6]
Robert Eriksson made the start ahead of Adam Shields and Blair Scott and so it remained. Unusually Blair Scott rode the white line attempting to pass Shields on the inside.
(4-2) (23-13)
Heat 7: Danny Bird, Kevin Little, Will Beveridge, Scott Swain [59.4]
Danny Bird made a great outside sweep to lead. Kevin Little could do nothing to get back on terms. Will Beveridge easily kept Scott Swain at the back to tie the heat.
(3-3) (26-16)
Heat 8: Blair Scott, Adam Shields, Richard Juul, Christian Henry [59.7]
Blair Scott took his usual heat 8 win despite Adam Shields coming in as a tactical substitute for Phillips. Christian Henry started well but was passed by Richard Juul.
(3-3) (29-19)
Heat 9: Ross Brady, Peter Carr, Adam Shields, Glen Phillips [58.5]
Glen Phillips replaced Martin Williams as a reserve replacement. Ross Brady made the start. Peter Carr rounded Shield and then cut inside to team ride with Brady.
(5-1) (34-20)
Heat 10: Robert Eriksson, Scott Swain, Blair Scott, Danny Bird [58.9]
Eriksson gated and was untroubled. Blair Scott cut inside on the second bend to try for second place only for Scott Swain to edge past him. Danny Bird, so impressive earlier, never looked like getting out of last place.
(4-2) (38-22)
Heat 11: Ray Morton, Richard Juul, Will Beveridge [59.5]
This looked a dodgy heat for Monarchs from the off, especially when Morton and Juul gated. Kevin Little tried a cut back but fell on the first bend. He restarted but made no impression and later retired.
(1-5) (39-27)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Scott Swain, Christian Henry, Martin Williams [58.1]
Carr gated ahead of Swain and Henry in what proved to be a processional heat.
(4-2) (43-29)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Ray Morton, Kevin Little, Adam Shields [58.3]
Eriksson gated ahead of Morton while Little was in close attendance and Monarchs lead was increased.
(4-2) (47-31)
Heat 14: Ray Morton, Ross Brady, Danny Bird, Will Beveridge [58.9]
Ray Morton came in as a tactical substitute for Phillips. This change paid off when Morton gated ahead of Danny Bird. Ross Brady, after a bad start came back determinedly to pass Bird and take second place.
(2-4) (49-35)
Heat 15: Robert Eriksson, Peter Carr, Ray Morton, Richard Juul [57.4]
Peter Carr was ahead as Eriksson coming around the outside cut off Morton at the third bend. From that point Eriksson and Carr team rode to perfection for another heat 15 maximum.
(5-1) (54-36)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
15 |
|
Blair Scott |
0 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
2* |
3 |
2* |
|
|
13+2 |
|
Ross Brady |
0 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
|
|
6 |
|
Kevin Little |
3 |
2 |
R |
1 |
|
|
6 |
|
|
Will Beveridge |
2* |
1* |
1 |
0 |
|
|
4+2 |
|
|
Christian Henry |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Wight |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Ray Morton |
3 |
3 |
1 |
1* |
1 |
|
|
9+1 |
|
Richard Juul |
1* |
0 |
1* |
2* |
0 |
|
|
4+3 |
|
Scott Swain |
1* |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
|
|
5+1 |
|
Danny Bird |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
6 |
|
|
Adam Shields |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
7 |
|
Martin Williams |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
0 |
||
|
Glen Phillips |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
This was another strong team performance by Edinburgh lead by Eriksson and Carr with immaculate maximums. Both had to pass Ray Morton but neither looked in danger apart from Eriksson leaving things late in the opening heat.
Blair Scott produced his usual pattern of results with last in heat 1 followed by a win in heat 8 and points in his other rides. Ross Brady also made a bad start but went well after that. Kevin Little didn't have one of his best meetings despite opening with a win.
Christian Henry rode and Will Beveridge did what was expected off them and scored points in most rides. The introduction of tactical substitutes in heat 8 and 14 made life somewhat harder for the home reserves.
Ray Moron had a good meeting and was beaten only by Carr and Eriksson. Scott Swain was a disappointment after a strong showing last year. Adam Shields looked excellent on his Armadale debut. Danny Bird started really well but faded after two rides. Richard Juul was as competitive as ever at Armadale.
Man of the match: Robert Eriksson
Most exciting rider: Peter Carr
Next meeting: v Swindon, Premier League, Armadale on Friday 25th August 2000
John Lowe