Edinburgh Monarchs v Workington Comets

REPORT Friday 4th September 2009, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Once again the Scotwaste Monarchs emerged fairly comfortable victors from what seemed likely a difficult match with the track providing some excellent entertainment.

This was something of a miracle after so much rain in preceding days which only stopped at lunchtime on the day of the match.

Several of the Monarchs were in outstanding form ? Wolbert, Wethers, Fisher, Summers ? with Byron Bekker also competitive, and Michal Rajkowski as usual coming good for heat 13.

There were some strong words from John Campbell regarding the rather predictable and unsavoury absence of Adrian Rymel, and from the point Monarchs tore into their opponents.

Ryan Fisher held off a strong challenge from Doolan with Max Dilger getting a point after he had bumped Leverington on the first corner, causing Trent to leave the track.

Aaron Summers won heat 2 with Byron Bekker riding a good heat also, losing out to Branney for second place.

The terrific Wolbert / Wethers pair took to the track in heat 3 and carved up guest Piszcz on the first corner. Five points, and Piszcz came last.

Heat 4 was a curious one ? Rajkowski gated and won in a slow time, Bekker and Compton both lifted which let Branney into second, with Andre languishing in fourth spot.

So we were ten up already and Doolan took a TR in heat 5.

Wethers and Wolbert beat him away though, and only an excellent inside pass on by Comets? Kevin on Monarchs? Kevin earned him anything. A 4-4 left Monarchs ten clear.

Compton gated in heat 6 though and showed what he is capable of by leading Fisher home. Dilger held third for a bit but Craig Cook picked him off.

Tomas Piszcz looked like being a second successive Comets? winner in heat 7 but Summers had other ideas, and nipped past off the fourth turn for a fine win. However Rajkowski had one of his poorer rides and gave up third spot to Branney.

Summers inevitably replaced Dilger in heat 8 and made it three wins out of three, with another good ride from Bekker to make it a 5-1. That was repeated by the two Ws in heat 9 over Compton, and with a 16-point lead Monarchs were close to the winning post.

Fisher won heat 10 from Piszcz after a strong first turn, and again Summers led the way from Doolan in heat 11. This time though he had to give best to a fine pass round the outside by Doolan.

The second TR came with Piszcz in heat 12. He led with the rain starting to fall, but Wolbert wasn?t prepared to settle for second. He made a bold outside move on the pits corner and swept round for a brilliant pass.

That was the match won with only a handful of points needed to secure all three match points.

The starts were getting increasingly ragged and heat 13 was the worst yet, a fler for Doolan and Compton. Amazingly Rajkowski hit that outside line and soared round both of them!

Fisher was left stranded but he was soon in on the action, diving inside Dolan at the start of lap two. He didn?t hit him but Doolan was put into an awkward place and came off. He left the track and headed over for a post-race chat with the ref while the Raj completed another remarkable heat 13 win.

Compton took heat 13 while the home pair got a bit tangled up, and to close an excellent Monarchs? show, Wolbert raced away with heat 15. Matthew wethers nearly slipped past Doolan but fell on the last bend.

HERMISTON MONARCH OF THE MATCH: Aaron Summers

Full Result Details