Edinburgh Monarchs 53: Sheffield Tigers 39
Premier League
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 7th July 2000
Edinburgh produced possibly their best performance of the year at Armadale to beat Premier League leaders and championship favourites Sheffield by a margin of 14 points.
With Sheffield effectively a three-man team and only Robbie Kessler providing serious resistance, most of the home riders got amongst the points. The match was free from controversy. This is rare in an Edinburgh-Sheffield encounter. Referee David Peet (from Sheffield!) didn't have a call to make all evening. The only incident worthy of comment was Simon Stead showing some petulance after being held off by Blair Scott in heat 10.
The highlight of the meeting was heat 8 when Sean Wilson came in as a golden double tactical substitute but was easily held off by a flying Blair Scott.
Armadale once more escape the forecast rain although there was hint of a light drizzle in the air for part of the meeting. The track was quite grippy and some of the riders, notably the Sheffield reserves, had problems on the second bend.
Both teams were at full strength.
Peter Carr won the toss and went for gate position A with Edinburgh off 1 and 3 for the first heat.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Sean Wilson, Paul Lee, Blair Scott [57.4]
Robert Eriksson from gate 1 beat Sean Wilson away. Blair Scott then went around the outside of Wilson on the second bend. Blair held off Wilson for a couple of laps until the Sheffield captain went through on the inside of the back straight. Wilson wisely decided against a futile chase of Eriksson and concentrated on blocking Scott to allow Paul Lee through to tie the heat.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Will Beveridge, Christian Henry, Jamie Birkinshaw [59.6]
The heat was stopped after James Birkinshaw touched the tapes. He came back in on a 15-metre handicap. This cost Sheffield gate position. Both Monarchs sped away as Cartwright suffered an engine failure on the line. They took an easy 5-1 with a very unsteady looking Birkinshaw sliding all over the track.
(5-1) (8-4)
Heat 3: Peter Carr, Simon Stead, Ross Brady, Adam Allott [58.6]
Simon Stead gated from Peter Carr and Ross Brady. Ross Brady made a mess of the fourth bend and Allott passed him. Brady came back to challenge for third and took advantage of a slip by Allott to regain third. Meanwhile Carr passed Stead to stretch the Edinburgh lead to six points.
(4-2) (12-6)
Heat 4: Robbie Kessler, Kevin Little, Christian Henry, James Birkinshaw [58.1]
Kessler made a fast start with Kevin Little left standing. Kevin gain ground and appeared to have got ahead of Kessler on the inside of the third bend but Kessler came back around the outside and held on to win. Christian Henry had no difficulty in holding Birkinshaw now looking more assured.
(3-3) (15-9)
Heat 5: Peter Carr, Ross Brady, Sean Wilson, Paul Lee [58.1]
Ross Brady gated from trap four ahead of Wilson and Carr. Peter produced a great second bend to join Ross up front. Wilson could do nothing against the team-riding Monarchs pair.
(5-1) (20-10)
Heat 6: Robbie Kessler, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, Simon Cartwright [58.9]
Robbie Kessler produced a blistering start with Cartwright also ahead of the home riders. Eriksson and Scott soon passed the ragged looking Cartwright but could make no impression on Kessler.
(3-3) (23-13)
Heat 7: Simon Stead, Kevin Little, Adam Allott, Will Beveridge [58.8]
Simon Stead made the start while Little was very wide on the second bend and couldn't get back on terms. Will Beveridge held a comfortable third place until he fell on the third bend gifting Sheffield a heat advantage.
(2-4) (25-17)
Heat 8: Blair Scott, Sean Wilson, Paul Lee, Christian Henry [58.1]
Sheffield replaced Birkinshaw with golden double tactical substitute, Sean Wilson. This cost the Tigers another gate position. The strategy involved Paul Lee making the start. He appeared to have done just that but Blair Scott just got around him on the second bend. Christian Henry did his bit with Wilson taking a lap to get into third place. Wilson then took the best part of a lap to get past teammate Paul Lee by which time Blair Scott was way ahead. Wilson made no real impression.
(3-5) (28-22)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, Robbie Kessler, Ross Brady [58.7]
The unbeaten Kessler looked set to make it three in a row after outgating the Edinburgh pair. Ross Brady made a challenge on the third bend only to baulk Peter Carr who was attempting an inside charge. Kessler looked to have the race won until Simon Cartwright fell on the first bend causing the race to be stopped. Kessler made the start once more but Carr passed on the second bend to win. Ross Brady hit engine problems on his second lap but managed to nurse his bike around to coast home.
(4-2) (32-24)
Heat 10: Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, Simon Stead, Adam Allott [58.9]
Eriksson and Scott gated with Simon Stead in hot pursuit. Stead was shaping up to pass on the exit from the fourth bend but Blair cut him off. Stead lifted dramatically but regained control and had another go but lifted once more on the back straight. Stead was not happy with Blair's riding and there was an altercation on the slow down lap.
(5-1) (37-25)
Heat 11: Sean Wilson, Kevin Little, Will Beveridge, Paul Lee [58.9]
Wilson finally came up with his first heat win at the fourth attempt after holding off Kevin Little. Will Beveridge took a solid third place.
(3-3) (40-28)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Simon Stead, Christian Henry, James Birkinshaw [58.2]
James Birkinshaw replaced Simon Cartwright to clear his third ride. Carr and Henry made the start. Henry provided some resistance to Stead before the Sheffield youngster passed. Birkinshaw had a go from the back but was never going to get near Henry.
(4-2) (44-30)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Robbie Kessler, Sean Wilson, Kevin Little [58.7]
Eriksson made a superb start to head Kessler and Wilson. Kevin Little was at the back and made several attempts to get past Wilson but made no impact.
(3-3) (47-33)
Heat 14: Robbie Kessler, Simon Stead, Ross Brady, Will Beveridge [59.2]
Sheffield made a double tactical substitute bring in Kessler and Stead for Birkinshaw and Allott. The Sheffield pair made the gate and although Ross Brady had a real go around the outside and appeared to have passed Stead a couple of times but couldn't quite make it.
(1-5) (48-38)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Robert Eriksson, Robbie Kessler, Sean Wilson [57.9]
Peter Carr won the toss for gate position and took 1 and 3. Eriksson and Carr swept ahead for a routine heat 15 maximum.
(5-1) (53-39)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
14 |
|
Blair Scott |
0 |
1* |
3 |
2* |
|
|
|
6+2 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
|
|
14+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
1 |
2* |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
5+1 |
|
Kevin Little |
2 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
|
|
6 |
|
|
Will Beveridge |
3 |
0 |
1* |
0 |
|
|
|
4+1 |
|
Christian Henry |
2* |
1* |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
4+2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sheffield Tigers |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Sean Wilson |
2 |
2 |
4 |
3 |
1* |
0 |
|
11+1 |
|
Paul Lee |
1* |
0 |
1* |
0 |
|
|
2+2 |
|
|
Simon Stead |
2 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
2* |
|
10+1 |
|
|
Adam Allott |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Robbie Kessler |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
|
14 |
|
Simon Cartwright |
E |
0 |
X |
|
|
|
|
0 |
|
Jamie Birkinshaw |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
Peter Carr and Robert Eriksson dominated the meeting with Robbie Kessler the only threat. Kevin Little found it tough going at number 5 against the powerful Sheffield heat leaders but was always in contention.
Blair Scott let things slip in heat 1 but was excellent value after that with a great win over Wilson and also a paid win ahead of Stead. Ross Brady did well on his comeback including a paid win ahead of Wilson. Will Beveridge produced his first Armadale win for Monarchs and was unlucky to be on the wrong end of a double tactical substitution in heat 14. Christian Henry looked very assured.
Sean Wilson didn't have one of his best Armadale meetings and never came near Carr or Eriksson. Robbie Kessler was very fast out of the gate and difficult to dislodge when in front. Simon Stead had a good meeting without troubling the top two home riders. He didn't like it when Blair Scott beat him in heat 10.
Paul Lee remains an enigma. He certainly can ride Armadale as he proved when taking third place in the Under-21 championship earlier this season. He wasn't really in contention apart from a good point in the opening heat and third behind Wilson in heat 8. The rest of the Sheffield team only scored two points between them. Allott was on the pace as was Birkinshaw after a ragged first ride but were never likely to pick up more than gift points. Simon Cartwright showed his customary inability to get around Armadale culminating with a fall in heat 10 that probably denied Kessler a win over Carr.
One unusual thing about this match was that Peter Carr won the toss twice for gate position. With the tape penalty for Birkinshaw in heat 2 and the Sean Wilson golden double in heat 8, Edinburgh riders took 1 and 3 for six of the first eight heats and ten out of fifteen in total.
Man of the match: Blair Scott
Most exciting rider: Peter Carr
Next meeting: Workington, Premier League Cup, Armadale on Friday 14th July 2000
John Lowe