EXCELLENT RESULT AT WORKINGTON

NEWS Saturday 5th April 2008, 0:56am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

We may have lost for the first time this season, but a 45-48 defeat at Derwent Park is an excellent performance and takes us close to qualifying for the Trophy semi-finals.

We had to work hard in a match which was delayed for half an hour for a hailstorm followed by track work.

However we stuck well to the task and might even have sneaked a win. We had two chain losses which cost us points - Aaron Summers stopped on the last lap of heat 4 while on a 5-1 with Matthew Wethers over the formidable Nieminen, and Ryan Fisher stopped on the last lap of heat 15 after getting the better of Carl Stonehewer in the battle for third place.

On the other hand, Stoney stopped as the tapes rose on heat 12, and we were able to engineer an 8-1 through William Lawson and Andrew Tully. So the luck went both ways.

Following that 8-1, we pushed Nieminen to the back in heat 13, and took a 4-2 was was very nearly a 5-1 in heat 14.

That left us needing a 4-2 in the last heat against Nermark and Stonehewer, and as at Armadale Nermark was untouchable. We deserved to share that heat but Ryan's chain snapped.

A fine effort though, and we are 70 race points ahead of the Comets with one match each left. Glasgow would need to win at Workington to come back into the reckning and by the time we go to Glasgow on 27th April, we will know exactly what we need.