Edinburgh Monarchs v King's Lynn Stars

REPORT Friday 9th June 2006, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Monarchs led all the way from heat 1 to heat 14, but in the end we were glad to hang on for a draw.

It is doubtful if we have ever had as few as three race winners in a home match - fewer than Doolan or Topinka alone!

The Stars showed far greater conviction to the first bend, though we worked hard in heat after heat to ensure that we didn't pick up many last places.

We started brightly with an excellent opener - Henrik doing really well to cut in front of rider replacement Doolan, and Theo cutting back in trademark style to join him, followed by four laps of good team riding to keep the Aussie in third spot.

Chris Mills won heat 2 - which is the third time in three visits he has done that! Sean rather than Derek was his main opposition, with John Oliver well back.

Doolan got a cracking start in heat 3, and Matthew had to pass Batchelor. By the end of the heat Theo was just short of catching Doolan.

Rusty very nearly took the lead in heat 4 with an outside move, but down the back straight his front wheel lifted and Chris Mills eased ahead. Derek pushed Topinka to the back but he rode a perfect pits turn to come between the two Monarchs and join his partner. Rusty tried hard to come back but overdid things on the first bend of lap three, crashing awkwardly into the fence.

Heat 5 might have been a chance for a home advantage, but Trevor Harding was a shock winner with Batchelor at the back for the second time.

Heat 6 was the best race of the night. Henrik rode a great first turn to get round Topinka, and Theo shot off the second bend to also pass the visiting star. However Topinka got the better of the second place battle, and had moved up on Moller by the end - only by moving out to block did Henrik make sure of the win.

Doolan by now was looking great and easily won heat 7. Rusty was at the back at one point but drove hard past Batchelor to ensure another shared race.

Heat 8 is usually a chance for us, and we took it. Once again Theo had to do the backup job with Mills trying hard, while Derek led the heat. Eventually Theo moved through and the 5-1 was fairly comfortable in the end.

The next three heats were won by Topinka, Doolan, Topinka, and Harding beat Stoddart in heat 11 to shave two points off our lead. Heat 12 was always going to be crucial.

Batchelor had three lasts on his card but when it was really needed, he came up with a great start. Mills was with him but Matthew squeezed into second - however with Derek at the rear we had lost a vital heat advantage and led by just two.

Predictably Topinka won heat 13 and Doolan heat 14, while we managed to share the heats and go into heat 15 just two up.

In the last heat decider, we faced Topinka who had won his previous three heats, and Doolan who had won his previous four! As usual these two made the gate, but Theo's cutback allowed him to squeeze inside Doolan for the two points that secured a draw. Henrik couldn't make an impression.

It goes without saying that we won't win much with so few heat winners, so that is the problem we have to solve.

Full Result Details