Berwick Bandits v Edinburgh Monarchs

REPORT Saturday 2nd August 2008, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Track watering had been by natural causes rather than Berwick?s famous bowser, but it left a circuit which wasn?t far from unrideable.

This had more effect on some riders than others, and all the Scotwaste Monarchs gritted their teeth and tried to get on with the job.

We trailed for the majority of the match, twice going six down, but a late match burst took us into a 4-point lead with one race to go.

Sadly in the decider we could not use Ryan Fisher, who had won his last two races and beaten Berwick?s top two, due to the depressingly stupid eligibility rule. So Thomas and Matthew went out to do battle, Thomas made the gate but could not stop McGowan and Makovsky coming past.

Thomas then crashed heavily coming off the fourth bend, slamming into the fence, but the tough cookie was OK.

So we gained a point at a track where it seems unlikely anyone else will have success ? hopefully.

In the opening heat Derek Sneddon hung on to second place behind McGowan, just holding off the pressing Clews, while our guest Pepe Franc floundered a long way behind.

It looked momentarily that we might go ahead in heat 2 with Andrew and Aaron making the gate, but Aaron seemed to get filled in on the third corner and dropped to the back.

Andrew struggled as well on the slippery surface and just hung on for the win.

Makovsky won heat 3 in what proved to be the slowest time of the night and things were looking farcical at this stage. Thomas and Mathew shared it while Magosi was all over the place.

Ryan flew to the front round the first turn of heat 4 ? and straight into the fence. He was excluded, but Aaron did very well to take the rerun with a steady ride.

We managed to share heat 5 behind Makovsky, though Franc was struggling again and only just beat Magosi.

Ryan tried hard to hold McGowan and Clews down the back straight in heat 6, but he was outpaced to give Bandits a 21-15 lead.

We quickly regained that lost ground through Thomas and Matthew who headed Bandits? weak third pairing.

Heat 8 was an important one which Derek led, but he was badly unsettled by lifting on the second corner of lap 3. This allowed Smith through, and on the last corner Clews swept by as well.

Perhaps at that moment many thought we were going under, but the team fought back.

Ryan did well to beat Makosky in heat 9, the Bandits? heat leader being baulked early in the heat by partner Magosi. Inspired by that, Thomas had his best ride to lead McGowan home, but Matthew Wethers could not hold off Clews.

That was the end of the rides of the very effective Clews.

Again we took advantage of Berwick?s third pairing in heat 11, Derek and Pepe taking a 5-1 to level the scores. Franc worked hard to keep Scott Smith at bay. Scores now level with four heats left.

Unfortunately Thomas off gate 4 in heat 12 tried a rash burst round the outside and got caught between Franchetti and the fence. He was excluded and although Andrew held second in the rerun, we were now two behind.

We made our big move over the next two heats. Ryan led all the way in heat 13 with Pepe Franc working hard while Aarnio pressed from third with McGowan trapped at the back. On the final lap Aarnio passed Franc but Pepe reversed the positions on the final turn as the Finn went wide.

That was an unexpected 5-1, and Matthew took heat 14 with a fine ride ahead of Smith. Aaron took the point and we were four ahead going into that vital last heat.

Full Result Details