ANOTHER OUTSTANDING ASHFIELD VICTORY

NEWS Sunday 11th August 2013, 8:49pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs won 52-38 at Ashfield in the second leg of the Spring Trophy, their third victory of the season in Glasgow and a great display to which all seven team members contributed.

The standard of entertainment was high, with Monarchs gating well but also showing a great hunger to come from the back when required. There was some controversy, especially in heat 5, but the team did well to shrug that off and get on with the job.

Both sides have said at times "It's only the Spring Trophy" but equally both sides enjoy victory at the expense of the other, and it felt good again today.

We did the biggest damage in heats 4 and 5, both 5-1's, and maintained at least a 6-point lead to heat 13, finishing off with a 5-1, 4-2 flourish to open a 14-point gap. We never looked like losing our grip but it wasn't easy.

Heat 5 was decidedly controversial and had tempers rising momentarily. First we had a stoppage after Craig allegedly jumped, then another – and the second time Craig was adamant he had not moved. This view was supported by Joe Screen and seemed to be the general view from the terrace. It is, however, the ref's opinion which counts.

To make things worse, Max was then excluded when at the tapes for exceeding the 2 minutes. It was one of these situations when none of the riders seemed to want to come up to the tapes and Max was the unlucky man.

In spite of all that, we took a 5-1 through reserve replacement Derek and Craig, who brilliantly weaved past the Tigers off 15 metres!

It was another super showing from Craig. Joe Screen was the top Tiger but he had to give best to our no. 1 three times. As well as his heat 5 excellence, Craig took Joe on the final bend of heat 15, and his only defeat came from James Grieves in another excellent race in heat 11.

Max was annoyed with himself for losing third place in heat 1, then probably annoyed again in heat 5, and took out his frustrations on fellow countryman Joey Ringwood with a brilliant ride from the back in heat 8. He got third in heat 11 in spite of losing his steel shoe.

Theo did a great job throughout, two race wins, and a good third from the back in heat 15. He had flown in from Poland, and would rather have sat out the final heat, but Claus was also hurting a bit so Theo did it.

Jozsef was good all day also, working hard, losing a point in his first ride due to clutch problems but joining Derek for a 5-1 in heat 14 to clinch the win on the day.

Claus was fantastic considering the battering he took on Friday, winning two heats and having to pull out of heat 13 after breaking a seat bracket. But it was great to see the big man after the concerns of Friday.

Mitchell may have turned the corner after a super ride in heat 6. Off the outside gate against Screen and North, he held second all the way while Claus battled with Dakota North. He held third in heat 9 for a while before being passed and it was with some reluctance we took him out of heat 12.

And Deek, well a real captain's part with three wins, paid 13 points and a lot of work in the pits to calm down any excitable temperaments. He knows his onions does the skipper.

Full Result Details