Edinburgh Monarchs 52: Stoke Potters 38
Premier League
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 15th September 2000
Edinburgh gained some revenge for their controversial defeat at Stoke with a comprehensive victory over the Potters. Monarchs went ahead in the first heat and stretched that lead steadily. Stoke only gained two heat advantages in heat 8 and heat 14 both courtesy of tactical substitutions. Both were also 5-1s, which helped to keep the scoreline respectable.
As with Monarchs' win at Hull, this match demonstrated another solid team performance with only Ross Brady rather off colour on this occasion. Stoke provided far more resistance than they have on previous visits over the past couple of years, or rather their top four riders – Pickering, Walsh, Burrows and Atkin – provided resistence.
Edinburgh were at full strength while Stoke had new signing René Madsen in and also had former Dale Devil Steven McAllister at reserve.
Peter Carr won the toss for once and opted for gate position A with Monarchs off 1 and 3 in heat 1.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Paul Pickering, Blair Scott, Mark Burrows [57.9]
Robert Eriksson swept ahead from gate 1 with Blair Scott cutting inside at the second bend and nearly beat Pickering to the third bend. Blair continued to press Pickering on the inside line but then came under pressure from Burrows and just made it for third place.
(4-2) (4-2)
Heat 2: Will Beveridge, Wayne Broadhurst, Steven McAllister, Christian Henry [60.1]
Will Beveridge shot out of the outside gate and won without difficulty. Christian Henry missed the start and toiled at the back. He seemed certain to pass McAllister on the outside a couple of times but the Scottish youngster took him wide both times and Henry remained out of the points.
(3-3) (7-5)
Heat 3: Peter Carr, Tony Atkin, Ross Brady, David Walsh [58.1]
Peter Carr made the start but Atkin blasted around the outside to edge ahead. It took Carr a lap or so to firmly establish his win. David Walsh surprisingly was stuck at the back and Ross Brady held third place without problems.
(4-2) (11-7)
Heat 4: Kevin Little, Will Beveridge, René Madsen, Steven McAllister [58.8]
Kevin Little and Will Beveridge made the start and had no problems staying ahead of Madsen.
(5-1) (16-8)
Heat 5: Peter Carr, Paul Pickering, Mark Burrows, Ross Brady [57.7]
Pickering made the start but Carr soon swept ahead. Ross Brady remained at the back with Burrows again impressing.
(3-3) (19-11)
Heat 6: Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, René Madsen, Steven McAllister [58.7]
Steven McAllister replaced Broadhurst to clear his three rides. Eriksson and Scott repeated the 5-1 over Madsen and McAllister earlier administered by Little and Beveridge.
(5-1) (24-12)
Heat 7: David Walsh, Kevin Little, Christian Henry, Tony Atkin [59.4]
David Walsh secured the first Potters heat win but Kevin Little and Christian Henry kept Atkin at the back to tie the heat.
(3-3) (27-15)
Heat 8: Paul Pickering, Mark Burrows, Blair Scott, Will Beveridge [59.5]
Stoke brought in Paul Pickering as a tactical substitute for McAllister. This worked to perfection as Pickering and Burrows jumped out of the start. Blair Scott appeared set to pass Burrows until 'Buzz' lifted alarmingly on the back straight. Blair backed off and settled for third place.
(1-5) (28-20)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, David Walsh, Ross Brady, Wayne Broadhurst [59.1]
David Walsh replaced Madsen as a tactical substitute. Carr once more won with ease from Walsh. Ross Brady had a go at Walsh but was unable to pass.
(4-2) (32-22)
Heat 10: Robert Eriksson, David Walsh, Blair Scott, Tony Atkin [58.4]
Eriksson passed Walsh to win this heat and Scott also came from the back to take third .
(4-2) (36-24)
Heat 11: Paul Pickering, Christian Henry, Kevin Little [58.9]
Pickering gated but found that it was Christian Henry challenging him rather than Kevin Little. Mark Burrows stopped with engine failure.
(3-3) (39-27)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, David Walsh, Will Beveridge, Wayne Broadhurst [58.2]
Carr won again. by a large margin from Walsh. Beveridge passed Broadhurst on the back straight to stretch Monarchs' lead to 14 points.
(4-2) (43-29)
Heat 13: Paul Pickering, Robert Eriksson, Kevin Little, René Madsen [58.9]
Pickering gated and withstood several attempts by Eriksson to pass. Kevin Little took third with René Madsen tailed off at the back.
(3-3) (46-32)
Heat 14: Tony Atkin, Mark Burrows, Ross Brady [Awarded]
Stoke replaced McAllister with tactical substitute Mark Burrows. Again the tactical substitution paid off as Burrows gated behind Atkin. Christian Henry had a real go at Burrows around the outside but overdid things on the fourth bend and fell causing the race to be stopped and awarded.
(1-5) (47-37)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Robert Eriksson, David Walsh, Paul Pickering [58.1]
Carr gated but Walsh came flying around the outside and nearly edged ahead. Eriksson tracked Walsh until the former Glasgow rider made a slip on the second bend allowing Eriksson through to second.
(5-1) (52-38)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2* |
|
|
13+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
1 |
2* |
1 |
1 |
|
|
|
5+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
15 |
|
Ross Brady |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
3 |
|
Kevin Little |
3 |
2 |
1* |
1* |
|
|
|
7+2 |
|
Christian Henry |
0 |
1* |
2 |
X |
|
|
|
3+1 |
|
Will Beveridge |
3 |
2* |
0 |
1 |
|
|
6+1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stoke |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Paul Pickering |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
|
13 |
|
Mark Burrows |
0 |
1* |
2* |
E |
2* |
|
|
5+3 |
|
David Walsh |
0 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
|
10 |
|
Tony Atkin |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
René Madsen |
1 |
1 |
0 |
|
2 |
|||
|
Wayne Broadhurst |
2 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
2 |
||
|
Steven McAllister |
1* |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
1+1 |
Peter Carr's dominance at Armadale has reached a point that few are able to even give the pretence of challenging him. He has five successive home Premier League maximums. In fact he has dropped one point at Armadale, to Paul Thorp, in the last ten Premier League matches. Eriksson was also in fine form and was only beaten by an on-song Pickering in heat 13. Little continued his gradual improvement but only beat Renee Madsen, Tony Atkin and Steven McAllister.
Blair Scott had a fair meeting despite being on the wrong end of a 5-1 in his favourite, heat 8. Ross Brady was simply not making starts and found life difficult at the back. Beveridge enjoyed his best Armadale meeting since joining Edinburgh. Christian Henry toiled in heat 2 but was good value thereafter and was always ready to have a go.
Paul Pickering was always considered a good bet for double figure scores on any Premier League track bar Armadale. He appears to have rectified that problem and produced three wins and two seconds before trailing last in heat 15. Walsh was competitive as ever as long as he gates! Mark Burrows and Tony Atkin both did better than they normally do in these parts. René Madsen looked way off the pace for a heat leader. Wayne Broadhurst and Steven McAllister did well in heat 2 but nothing subsequently.
Man of the match: Peter Carr
Most exciting rider: Christian Henry
Next home meeting: v Exeter, Premier League, Armadale on Friday 22nd September 2000
John Lowe