A WET BUT WINNING START

NEWS Saturday 1st April 2006, 10:00am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

After one of the worst weeks in Monarchs' history, it was a great relief to see the team perform well and earn a deserved win over Glasgow.

The match was called off after 12 heats with Monarchs 42-36 in front. The score rather flatters Glasgow because they gained 6 TR points, although they lost out on their strong pairings in heats 13 and 15.

The riders helped us forget the three rain-offs of the previous weekend, and the dreadful actions of the vandals in the stadium, by turning in a fresh and encouraging display in spite of horrible wet conditions.

Derek Sneddon was a standout reserve with fast gating and steady riding, and Theo looked very sharp indeed - rather like the start of last season.

Obviously our young Dane Henrik Moller was under scrutiny, but he earned pass marks with a neat style and some signs that he may be a decent gater. If he builds up his speed he could score well.

All in all an encouraging start, with some tough matches coming up over the next 8 days.