Edinburgh Monarchs 48: Jawa Czech Republic 41
International Challenge
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 14th April 2000
Edinburgh had a comfortable win over the touring Czech side. The Monarchs' heat leaders were virtually unstoppable with only two points dropped between them.
Brian Turner did return after injury but Ross Brady missed out after breaking two toes in an accident on a trials bike. Rider replacement operated for Brady with Derek Sneddon coming in at number 8. Sneddon took all four of the rider replacement outings.
The day was cloudy but the rain held off. The track was in reasonable condition, especially considering the extreme weather earlier this week.
Peter Carr lost the toss and gate position B was used with Edinburgh off 2 and 4 for the first heat.
Heat 1: Kevin Little, Michal Makovsky, Blair Scott [59.6]
Kevin Little made the gate but Adrian Rymel appeared to have passed him on the outside when the Czech pulled up with a smoking engine. Blair Scott missed the start and tried, without success, to get past Makovsky.
(4-2) (4-2)
Heat 2: Robert Kral, Brian Turner, Christian Henry, Josef Franc [61.1]
Brian Turner made a fair start but seemed to be apprehensive and was passed by Robert Kral with an outside swoop. Christian Henry held third place and was pressured by Josef Franc. This pressure was rewarded when Franc slipped inside Henry on the last lap, only for the Monarchs' reserve to come back on the outside through the last bend.
(3-3) (7-5)
Heat 3: Peter Carr, Tomas Topinka, Richard Wolff [58.7]
Topinka made the start but Carr blasted around the outside on the back straight as if Topinka was stationary. Derek Sneddon, in as rider replacement fell and retired when in touch.
(3-3) (10-8)
Heat 4: Robert Eriksson, Robert Kral, Pavel Ondrasik, Christian Henry [58.3]
Robert Eriksson swept ahead to win by a huge margin. Christian Henry harried Ondrasik all the way.
(3-3) (13-11)
Heat 5: Peter Carr, Michal Makovsky, Adrian Rymel, Derek Sneddon [58.5]
This produced another commanding win while Derek Sneddon looked impressive and pushed Rymel all the way.
(3-3) (16-14)
Heat 6: Pavel Ondrasik, Kevin Little, Blair Scott [60.3]
The Czech pair gated but Franc fell on the second bend. Kevin Little and Blair Scott were unable to pass Ondrasik.
(3-3) (19-17)
Heat 7: Robert Eriksson, Richard Wolff, Tomas Topinka, Brian Turner [59.5]
Eriksson had a commanding win over Wolff and Topinka.
(3-3) (22-20)
Heat 8: Robert Kral, Christian Henry [61.2]
Blair Scott was clearly shunted into the second bend fence after being sandwiched. There were cries of disbelief when it was announced that Scott had been excluded. This ruling was changed with Rymel being excluded. In the rerun Kral nearly put Blair into the fence once more, but he managed to take avoiding action but dropped way behind. Blair set off after Kral and Henry. He eventually managed to pass Christian, and then had a real go at Kral. As Blair tried an outside pass on the third bend, the Czech moved out and Blair was again fortunate to stay on. Blair made one last attempt on the last bend but ended up in the fence.
(2-3) (24-23)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, Pavel Ondrasik, Josef Franc [58.8]
Peter Carr was well ahead of Ondrasik with Sneddon holding a comfortable third place when Derek suffered a puncture and fell. Carr won the rerun.
(3-3) (27-26)
Heat 10: Kevin Little, Blair Scott, Tomas Topinka, Richard Wolff [59.8]
Monarchs finally made the breakthrough with an impressive 5-1 from Kevin Little and Blair Scott over Tomas Topinka.
(5-1) (32-27)
Heat 11: Robert Eriksson, Michal Makovsky, Adrian Rymel, Brian Turner [59.2]
Robert Eriksson missed the start for once but carved his way through the field for another massive win.
(3-3) (35-30)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Tomas Topinka, Robert Kral, Christian Henry [58.7]
Vaclav Verner brought in top scorer Robert Kral as a reserve change to join Topinka. Carr had no problems winning and Christian Henry looked impressive despite trailing.
(3-3) (38-33)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little, Michal Makovsky [59.4]
Eriksson and Little were set for a maximum when Ondrasik fell and brought down Makovsky. There was a rerun with Ondrasik excluded, which produced the same result.
(5-1) (43-34)
Heat 14: Tomas Topinka, Robert Kral, Brian Turner, Derek Sneddon [60.1]
Edinburgh resisted the temptation to use Kevin Little or Blair Scott as rider replacement and gave Derek Sneddon a fourth ride. Verner put in Topinka as a tactical substitute to join Kral. The Czech's delivered the expected 5-1 over Turner and Sneddon to bring them back within five points of Monarchs' total.
(1-5) (44-39)
Heat 15: Robert Eriksson, Tomas Topinka, Peter Carr, Robert Kral [58.5]
Topinka made the start but Eriksson always had the line to pass on the outside. Peter Carr tried everything to pass the vastly improving Topinka but had to settle for third place.
(4-2) (48-41)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Kevin Little |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2* |
|
|
10+1 |
|
|
Blair Scott |
1 |
1* |
F |
2* |
|
|
|
4+2 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
|
|
13 |
|
Ross Brady |
Rider replacement |
|
(0) |
|||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
15 |
|
Brian Turner |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
Christian Henry |
1* |
0 |
2 |
0 |
3+1 |
|||
|
Derek Sneddon |
F |
0 |
X |
0 |
0 |
|||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jawa Czech Republic |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Michal Makovsky |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
|
|
7 |
|
Adrian Rymel |
E |
1* |
X |
1* |
|
|
2+2 |
|
|
Tomas Topinka |
2 |
1* |
1 |
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
11+1 |
|
Richard Wolff |
1* |
2 |
0 |
|
|
|
3+1 |
|
|
Pavel Ondrasik |
1* |
3 |
2 |
X |
|
|
|
6+1 |
|
Josef Franc |
0 |
F |
1* |
|
|
|
|
1+1 |
|
Robert Kral |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1* |
2* |
0 |
|
11+2 |
The Czechs produced a better performance than in their previous match at Exeter. Despite not being noted short track specialists most of their riders were competitive although they made little impression on the Monarchs' heat leaders. Kevin Little had by far his best match of the season. Carr looked unstoppable until his last ride while Eriksson gave one of his best ever Armadale performances.
Blair Scott had few breaks once more and was on the wrong end of some hard riding in heat 8. Despite a nasty fall, he came back to beat Topinka in heat 10. Brian Turner managed to get through four rides with no mishaps but he looked a bit tentative at times, perhaps with some justification. Christian looked much more comfortable than his previous Armadale appearance. He failed to make any starts but was always on the pace. Derek Sneddon failed to score on his debut but was never out of contention.
Of the visitors, Kral was first into his stride but Topinka looked a class act once he had come to terms with the track. Berwick target Michal Makovsky looked as if he would have been a fair scorer in the Premier League had the authorities allowed him to ride.
Man of the match: Robert Eriksson
Most exciting rider: Blair Scott
Next meeting: versus Workington, Armadale on Friday 21st April 2000
John Lowe