Edinburgh Monarchs 51: Isle of Wight Islanders 39
Premier League
Lothian Arena, Armadale
Friday 1st June 2001
Monarchs turned in a fair performance to defeat a solid looking Islanders' outfit. The Islanders top-five scored an a par with their Edinburgh counterparts. However Monarchs advantage at reserve took them safely through the match with a reasonable margin.
Monarchs soon established an eight-point lead after three heat advantages in the first four races. Then the islanders hit back using tactical substitutions taking two advantages and five tied heats in the next seven races. This left Monarchs' lead at a precarious 35-31 going into heat 12. Peter Carr and Derek Sneddon stretched this with a 4-2 and Monarchs never looked back clinching the match in heat 14 with a win from Dalle Andersen.
There was good racing whenever Danny Bird, Ray Morton or Adam Shields was on the track.
The track was 'technical' according to Peter Carr. There had been heavy overnight rain and some light drizzle through the afternoon. There was more grip than usually going into the bends but less than usual on the exits. This caught out several of the home riders.
Amazingly Peter Carr won the toss and gate position A was used with Edinburgh off 1 and 3 for the first heat.
Heat 1: Robert Eriksson, Ray Morton, Davey Watt, Christian Henry [58.1]
Robert Eriksson was away well but Ray Morton had a better line out of the second bend and moved ahead. Eriksson came back and passed on the inside to regain the lead. Christian Henry made a dreadful start and spent the best part of three laps making up lost ground. He had a go at Watt on the last bend but was unable to get close enough.
(3-3) (3-3)
Heat 2: Derek Sneddon, Dalle Andersson, Glenn Phillips, Sebastian Tresarrieu [60.5]
Derek Sneddon made a perfect start from the outside gate. Dalle Andersson tucked in behind him for a very easy 5-1 in a slow race.
(5-1) (8-4)
Heat 3: Peter Carr, Danny Bird, Blair Scott, Scott Swain [59.8]
Peter Carr led from the gate followed by the Islanders pairing. Blair Scott made a poor start but put some pressure on Scott Swain. He was rewarded when Swain got it wrong on the fourth bend nearly clipping the fence and almost lost it. Blair took his opportunity and passed.
(4-2) (12-6)
Heat 4: Jan Andersen, Adam Shields, Derek Sneddon, Glenn Phillips [59.6]
Jan Andersen made a good start to beat Adam Shields as Derek Sneddon easily beat Glenn Phillips.
(4-2) (16-8)
Heat 5: Peter Carr, Ray Morton, Davey Watt, Blair Scott [57.5]
Ray Morton made the start but Peter Carr swept past to win in a team that equalled the fastest of the season. Blair Scott missed the start once more but did pass Davey Watt only for the Australian to repass him.
(3-3) (19-11)
Heat 6: Robert Eriksson, Adam Shields, Sebastian Tresarrieu [59.5]
Robert Eriksson gated ahead of Shields. Christian Henry tried a bit too hard to get on terms with Shields and spun on the second bend. He was unable to clear his bike from the track so Eriksson had to do it all again in the re-run.
(3-3) (22-14)
Heat 7: Danny Bird, Dalle Andersson, Scott Swain [60.1]
Jan Andersen spun on the first bend and retired. Dalle Andersson could make no impression on the impressive Danny Bird and Monarchs lead was trimmed.
(2-4) (24-18)
Heat 8: Ray Morton, Christian Henry, Derek Sneddon [59.4]
Ray Morton came in as a tactical substitute for Phillips. Ray Morton made the start but Christian Henry produced one of his gate four 'specials' and blasted past Morton on the back straight and seemed set to claim one of his biggest scalps. It was not to be as Watt fell on the second bend and looked to see who was leading and promptly lay down on the track once more. Watt then went and complained about his exclusion! Morton made no mistake in the re-run.
(3-3) (27-21)
Heat 9: Peter Carr, Adam Shields, Danny Bird, Blair Scott [59.3]
Danny Bird came in as a tactical substitute for Tresarrieu. Shields and Bird gated as Carr did a spectacular second bend cutback that took him past Shields but not past Bird. Carr continued to press and eventually passed when the Islander went too wide. Blair Scott was unable to make any progress from the back.
(3-3) (30-24)
Heat 10: Danny Bird, Robert Eriksson, Christian Henry [59.3]
Robert Eriksson missed the start as the Islanders' pair swept ahead. Eriksson pressed Swain and the visitors' captain fell on the fourth bend clearing the track in double quick time with Bird leading. Eriksson could make no impression as Bird collected his second race win.
(3-3) (33-27)
Heat 11: Ray Morton, Jan Andersen, Davey Watt, Dalle Andersson [59.7]
Jan Andersen gated ahead of Morton as Watt headed Andersson. Morton tracked Andersen for a couple of laps before executing a clinical pass. Andersson appeared to be suffering from a misfiring engine and was unable to get on terms.
(2-4) (35-31)
Heat 12: Peter Carr, Danny Bird, Derek Sneddon, Sebastian Tresarrieu [58.5]
Bird gated on Carr once more but was passed on the fourth bend. Derek Sneddon beat Tresarrieu to restore Monarchs six point lead.
(4-2) (39-33)
Heat 13: Robert Eriksson, Ray Morton, Adam Shields, Jan Andersen [58.7]
Robert Eriksson gated to win but Jan Andersen missed the start and was stuck at the back.
(3-3) (42-36)
Heat 14: Dalle Andersson, Adam Shields, Blair Scott, Glenn Phillips [60.4]
Adam Shields came in as a tactical substitute for the injured Scott Swain. Dalle Andersson and Blair Scott made the start. Adam Shields challenged and swept past both Blair Scott and Dalle Andersson to lead. Andersson came back in impressive style to win the heat.
(4-2) (46-38)
Heat 15: Peter Carr, Robert Eriksson, Danny Bird [58.7]
Edinburgh took gate position in the final heat after winning another toss. Carr and Eriksson swept ahead from the gate and recorded another last heat maximum.
(5-1) (51-39)
|
Edinburgh Monarchs |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Robert Eriksson |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
2* |
|
|
13+1 |
|
Christian Henry |
0 |
X |
2 |
1* |
|
|
|
3+1 |
|
Peter Carr |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
|
|
11+1 |
|
Blair Scott |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
|
|
2 |
|
Jan Andersen |
3 |
F |
2 |
0 |
|
|
|
5 |
|
Dalle Andersson |
2* |
2 |
0 |
3 |
|
|
7+1 |
|
|
Derek Sneddon |
3 |
1 |
1* |
1 |
|
|
|
6+1 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Isle of Wight Islanders |
|
|
|
|
||||
|
Ray Morton |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
12 |
|
Davey Watt |
1* |
1* |
X |
1 |
3+2 |
|||
|
Danny Bird |
2 |
3 |
1* |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
12+1 |
|
Scott Swain |
0 |
1 |
F |
|
|
|
|
1 |
|
Adam Shields |
2 |
2 |
2 |
1* |
2 |
9+1 |
||
|
Sebastian Tresarrieu |
0 |
1* |
0 |
|
|
|
|
1+1 |
|
Glenn Phillips |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
1 |
Peter Carr was once more in a class of his own winning three heats from the back. Robert Eriksson is nearly back to his best form and only a botched start in heat 10 cost him a paid maximum. Jan Andersen was trying out a brand new GM engine and clearly hadn't sorted out the setup yet.
Blair Scott had a wretched meeting and scored only two points one of which was gifted. He was suffering from some bike problems and made only one start and was vulnerable from the back when he did. Christian Henry also found the going tough in his new position. He was unfortunate in heat 8 to have to go through a rerun after making his only start.
Monarchs' real advantage lay at reserve with Derek Sneddon and Dalle Andersson taking 13 points compared with 2 from their counterparts. Sneddon didn't look very fast but hardly put a foot wrong on the way to his best four-ride score for Monarchs. Dalle Andersson was impressive throughout apart from heat 11 and ended on a high note with a great win from the back over Adam Shields in heat 14.
Ray Morton turned in an accomplished performance but was upstaged by Danny Bird. The Islanders' youngster has always been fast at Armadale but had problems getting around the track in the past. He finally seems to have sorted this out and was steady apart from a couple of fourth-bend wobbles. Adam Shields was also tidy and assured in his second appearance at Armadale.
Davey Watt had a good meeting apart from some blatant gamesmanship in heat 8 that left a very nasty taste in the mouth. Scott Swain was the main disappointment for the Islanders especially after scoring 11 points at Armadale a couple of years back. Predictably the visiting reserves found the going hard and scored only gifted points.
Monarchs will need a bit more consistency across the board against Newcastle next week.
Man of the match: Peter Carr
Most exciting rider: Peter Carr
John Lowe