Berwick Bandits v Edinburgh Monarchs

REPORT Saturday 7th August 2010, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

When you have 13 last places in 15 heats, as we did at Berwick, you aren?t likely to win anywhere, so the result was that we slumped to defeat for the first time away from home on the league this season.

We made a terrible start, losing the first four races 4-2. And although Ryan Fisher and Matthew Wethers did their best to inspire a fightback, there wasn?t a great response. We never looked like gaining a match point and only two successful TRs kept us anywhere close.

Home no. 1 Rymel romped away with the opening race, and with Kalle Katajisto stopping on the first corner we lost the heat. Newcomer Rempala was feeling his way.

Heat 2 was two seconds slower, but we did see a reasonable ride from Arlo Bugeja to split the Bandits. William Lawson was passed by Mudgway early on and looked well out of sorts.

Matthew Wethers led heat 3 but found Clews thundering under him on the pits bend, and did well to stay on. Wolbert was briefly in touch but lost ground badly.

Lawson suffered a 2-minute exclusion in heat 4, replaced by Bugeja. Complin raced ahead off the second bend though Tully pushed him hard for most of the race.

Already we were eight down, but Ryan Fisher broke our race win duck by heading Clews. Kalle was miles behind at the back though, and the last places were coming thick and fast.

Having had one heat to see that track, Rempala raced ahead in heat 6 with Rymel content to ride behind him. Tully tried very hard but could not find a passing line.

The gap was now wide enough for a TR, and Matthew Wethers made it count off gate 4 by leading Complin all the way. Wolbert dropped from second to third and then fourth in another disappointing ride.

At last Kalle made a start in heat 8, but he was too tentative on the pits corner and found Rempala bustling under him. With William Lawson off the pace again we were now 31-20 behind.

Heat 9 was Tully?s best race, leading all the way from Clews with some bold outside line riding.

Rymel won heat 10 and this time Rempala was tailed off (Berwick?s first fourth place) as Matthew sat behind Wolbert (and nearly ran into him as the German slowed going over the line).

We were just 11 down so no second TR for Fisher in heat 11. He won it though, but it was the third 3-3 in a row with Kalle overhauled by Mudgway.

Clews led heat 12 but Wolbert chased hard down the back straight and looked as though he might go ahead. Clews blocked the move and Wolbert shut off so dramatically that Rajkowski sailed through to complete a 5-1.

Now we were far enough behind for another TR and it was a great ride by Ryan, squeezing past Rymel off the second corner to take 6 points. Tully was ahead of Complin for a bit but lost third by riding too tight at the end of lap one.

We needed am advantage in heat 14 to retain a chance of a point, and Matthew won the heat in style, but William Lawson made it five lasts out of five and that was that.

In the last one Ryan missed the gate off the outside as Rymel went ahead. He rounded the field though and emerged in second spot, and for the rest of the race it was all about the single point as Matthew fought to hold position between Fisher and Clews. It was hard work but he managed it.

Full Result Details