Stoke Potters 47: Edinburgh Monarchs 46
Premier League
Loomer Road Stadium, Newcastle-under-Lyme
Monday 28th August 2000
Edinburgh suffered a last heat defeat at Stoke that was down to a diabolical piece of refereeing from Colin Reeve. Edinburgh had fought back from ten points down after heat 13 to need a 5-1 in the last heat to win. When Peter Carr and Robert Eriksson gated and pulled ahead, this win seemed assured until David Walsh fell at back and stayed down. With the leaders well into their third lap by the time the exclusion lights came on it seemed that the referee would award the heat and give Monarchs the win. However Reeve, once branded by the Monarchs promotion as 'the worst referee in speedway', ordered a re-run. This time Paul Thorp managed to split the Edinburgh pair to give the home team a win.
Having said that, a full strength Edinburgh side should have been capable of beating a depleted Potters outfit. Stoke were still without Neville Tatum who has been on the injured list all season and Paul Thorp guested. They were also missing Captain Paul Pickering and rider replacement operated. Stoke also had James Mann in at reserve. Monarchs ride Loomer Road well and have won three Premier League matches there in 1997, 1998, and 1999. The fact that Monarchs failed to win this one sums up much about this season.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Paul Thorp, Mark Burrows, Blair Scott []
Paul Thorp came in as rider replacement for Pickering. Robert Eriksson produced his usual heat 1 win and Blair produced his usual last place.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Wayne Broadhurst, Christian Henry, James Mann []
Will Beveridge was excluded under two minutes and no replacement was possible. Christian Henry won a battle to secure second place.
(4-2) (7-5)
Heat 3: Ross Brady, Peter Carr, Tony Atkin, David Walsh []
Monarchs produced a big 5-1 to take the lead.
(1-5) (8-10)
Heat 4: Paul Thorp, Christian Henry, Kevin Little, James Mann []
Paul Thorp steadied things with a heat win of Christian Henry.
(3-3) (11-13)
Heat 5: Tony Atkin, David Walsh, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott []
Stoke hit back with a 5-1 to take the lead.
(5-1) (16-14)
Heat 6: Tony Atkin, Mark Burrows, Will Beveridge, Kevin Little, []
Tony Atkin in as rider replacement for Pickering took a second successive heat win with Burrows second.
(5-1) (21-15)
Heat 7: Paul Thorp, Peter Carr, Wayne Broadhurst, Ross Brady []
Thorp beat Carr with Broadhurst third to stretch the home lead.
(4-2) (25-17)
Heat 8: Peter Carr, Christian Henry, Mark Burrows, James Mann []
Peter Carr in as a tactical substitute for Blair Scott took a predictable win with Christian Henry taking an excellent second place to bring Monarchs back into the meeting.
(1-5) (26-22)
Heat 9: David Walsh, Tony Atkin, Kevin Little, Christian Henry []
Christian Henry came in as a reserve replacement for Will Beveridge but could do nothing to stop Walsh and Atkin from picking up another 5-1 to double the home lead.
(5-1) (31-23)
Heat 10: David Walsh, Peter Carr, Mark Burrows, Ross Brady []
David Walsh took the rider replacement outing. There were more problems for Edinburgh as Peter Carr was penalized for tape touching. He came back in on a 15m handicap. Carr managed to fight his way through to second but with Brady at the back, the lead was now up to ten points.
(4-2) (35-25)
Heat 11: Paul Thorp, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, Wayne Broadhurst []
Thorp beat Eriksson but Blair Scott picked up third to tie the heat.
(3-3) (38-28)
Heat 12: David Walsh, Peter Carr, Will Beveridge, James Mann []
Another tied heat won by Walsh ahead of Carr and Beveridge.
(3-3) (41-31)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Paul Thorp, Mark Burrows, Kevin Little []
Robert Eriksson took a heat win against Paul Thorp and rider replacement Mark Burrows.
(3-3) (44-34)
Heat 14: Peter Carr, Ross Brady, Wayne Broadhurst []
Monarchs played their last card with Robert Eriksson in as a 'golden double' tactical substitute in place of Christian Henry. Tony Atkin shed a chain on the first bend and Eriksson had no difficulty in passing Broadhurst and then Brady to secure an 8-1 heat win.
(1-8) (45-42)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Paul Thorp, Robert Eriksson []
Carr and Eriksson gated and had pulled out a lead of 50m by the time that Walsh 'fell' to stop the race. Paul Thorp edged past Eriksson in the re-run to win the match for Stoke.
(2-4) (47-46)
|
Stoke Potters |
|
|
|
|
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|
Paul Pickering |
Rider replacement |
|
|
(5) |
||||
|
Mark Burrows |
1* |
2* |
1 |
1 |
1* |
|
6+3 |
|
|
David Walsh |
0 |
2* |
3 |
3 |
3 |
X |
11+1 |
|
|
Tony Atkin |
1 |
3 |
3 |
2* |
R |
|
|
9+1 |
|
Paul Thorp |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
|
15 |
|
Wayne Broadhurst |
3 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
James Mann |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
1 |
|
16 |
|
Blair Scott |
0 |
0 |
1* |
|
|
|
|
1+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
2* |
2 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
|
14+1 |
|
Ross Brady |
3 |
0 |
0 |
2* |
|
|
|
5+1 |
|
Kevin Little |
1* |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
2+1 |
|
Will Beveridge |
M |
1 |
1* |
|
|
|
|
2+1 |
|
Christian Henry |
2 |
2 |
2* |
0 |
|
|
|
6+1 |
Once more there was little support for the Monarchs top two. Carr and Eriksson were excellent as ever. Christian Henry had a decent meeting with three second places. Ross Brady gave a typical performance with two paid wins and two last places. Will Beveridge was excluded under two minutes in his first ride but did little wrong in his other two heats.
Kevin Little's nightmare continued. He only managed to beat one home rider, James Mann. Blair Scott had a bad start but did managed to score in his final ride.
Guest Paul Thorp was the top rider for the home team. He had support from second strings Tony Atkin and Mark Burrows and reserve Wayne Broadhurst. Stokes' match winner was, of course David Walsh, not only for his paid twelve points but also for his last heat 'fall'.
Man of the match: Peter Carr
Next meeting: v Exeter, Premier League, Armadale on Friday 1st September 2000
John Lowe