GREAT START IN THE LEAGUE CUP

NEWS Saturday 20th April 2013, 11:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Craig Cook and Claus Vissing were the dominant forces in the match as the Scotwaste Monarchs made the best possible start to their League Cup campaign with a 48-42 win at Berwick.

Our top duo scored 5-1s in heats 13 and 15 to take us over the line, and both were just one point short of a maximum.

The rest of the side did enough on a track which was initially difficult with a load of new clay on the surface. The most comfortable rider early on was Bandits’ David Bellego who romped to three wins, including a third to first effort in heat 1 when he passed both Derek Sneddon and (on the last turn) Craig Cook, the visiting pair being preoccupied with ensuring they stayed on their bikes.

We took the lead in heat 2 in which Marcel Helfer had his best ride of the season, and Jozsef Tabaka came past two very uncomfortable home reserves.

After this race we had some track grading, and the surface began to settle down.

We held the lead from heat 4 onwards, other than in heat 10 when the Bandits snatched a 2-point advantage. That was immediately reversed by Jozsef Tabaka and Craig Cook, and we went six up after the Cook/Vissing romp in heat 13.

However Bandits made it a last heat decider by taking a 5-1 in heat 14. Craig and Claus jogged up the starting straight to inspect gates 2 and 4 for the final heat, and they were certainly the best gates to be on. Once again they raced away to complete a highly satisfactory display.

Theo Pijper won two heats. Jozsef Tabaka scored well when it mattered, and Max Fricke picked up one good point as he added a grippy Shielfield to his UK experiences.

For the second time this year at Berwick, Derek Sneddon didn’t have the best of matches, but his points were still important.

Bandits to be fair did quite well to push us to a last heat decider without no. 1 Ashworth, and with rider replacement scoring just 5.

We race Bandits in the return at Armadale on Friday, and it is likely the visitors will use a guest on that occasion.