MISTAKES AND MISFORTUNES LEAD TO DEFEAT

REPORT Friday 2nd April 2010, 11:47am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

A night of misfortune and mistakes by Monarchs came against the wrong opponents as our old bogey team Newcastle grabbed a 44-46 away win.

Monarchs led 14-4 but a dreadful spell of frustrating problems from heat 6 to 8 levelled the scores. Having been pretty much gifted their chances, Newcastle were then good enough to take advantage.

Monarchs had a narrow lead from heat 9 onwards, and were a bit fortunate the Diamonds subsequently had two exclusions for Lemon and Sneddon in heats they seemed likely to profit from.

But Monarchs didn't really take advantage and although they led by 2 points going in to the last race, Bach made the start in the deciding heat and Larsen took advantage of mistakes by Fisher and Wolbert to burst through and complete the 5-1 for victory.

Monarchs machine problems were far too numerous. Ryan Fisher blew his Armadale engine before the start, Kalle Katajisto blew his to smithereens in heat 8 and will not be able to retrieve it, Jozsef Tabaka also stopped in the disastrous heat 8, and Andrew Tully also had major bike problems.

There were positives in defeat. Kevin Wolbert was brilliant in his first four rides even though he missed out in heat 15 (in which he finished with a puncture). Jozsef Tabaka showed much improved form until he stopped in heat 8, and Max Dilger's steadiness earned him points.

We are now looking to win two or three away matches to get back into contention in the PT section. It is not impossible.

Full Result Details