Edinburgh Monarchs v Workington Comets

REPORT Friday 10th April 2015, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Even though they haven’t done well at Armadale recently it was anticipated that Workington would run us close, especially with a strong number 7 guest in Palovaara. The match was close up to heat 8 but the Border Roofing Monarchs took an increasingly strong grip as the evening wore on.

Things started very well for Monarchs as Sedgmen gated in heat 1 with Cook joining him before the end of lap one, coming inside Wells.

Things might have been levelled in heat 2 but out reserves managed to pick off Nicki Barrett, though Palovaara was well clear for his second successive heat 2 win.

Wolbert celebrated his improved mechanical setup by racing away with heat 3, Partner Riss was at the back but riding steadily, and he took a point when Rusty came off.

Sam Masters dominated heat 4 with excellent backup from Rob Branford. Kyle Howarth was trying to get his machine under control but eventually dropped out, giving Palovaara the point.

Ricky Wells is always tough when he gets ahead and he led heat 5 all the way from Kevin Wolbert who was close throughout. Riss finished pointless but close to Hansen.

The start of heat 6 was a farce. Howarth leapt upwards and forwards, missing the tapes by a hairsbreadth, but the ref was inactive and allowed the heat to continue. Clear in front, even though he was riding across the corners, Kyle was quick enough to stay clear of Sedgmen and Cook.

Heat 7 was another comfortable Masters win with Clegg closing in on Bach and Harrison as the race finished.

Sedgmen needed a quick start from gate 4 to get in front of heat 8, but he did it. Nothing for Branford in this one.

Monarchs were leading 28-20 but up to this point there hadn’t been much to distinguish the match. However interest rose as the riders took the first turn in heat 9 and Erik Riss emerged ahead. Partner Wolbert slotted in close behind, and with no challenge coming the question was whether Erik could just ride steadily for four laps. It was never in doubt.

Rene Bach gated in heat 10 but this time Craig Cook got into second and set out to chase, no doubt furious at another missed gate. He stormed brilliantly past at the end of lap two.

It’s amazing how riders often go better when they are on a tactical ride. Who would have thought Wells could beat Sam Masters? Sam even made the gate but Ricky came round the outside of turn two and squeezed ahead up the back straight. A lap later Sam pulled off one of these unstoppable inside bursts of his, but amazingly Wells came back again with a cutback. Sam tried a last bend outside run and got very close but the visiting no. 2 won the race of the night.

That brought the score back to 39-30 and Comets were still in with a chance of a point.

They looked like going even closer when Wolbert completely messed up the start of heat 12. However Branford came off and under the fence on turn three and the heat had to be stopped.

Kevin got into second in the rerun and gradually wore down and passed Bach, an excellent ride by our German star.

Cook and Masters easily took 5 points from heat 13, in which Palovaara rode after Howarth was excluded on two minutes.

Excellent stuff from Riss again in heat 14, determined round the first turn and thereafter untroubled. Max Clegg was in amongst the Comets too battling for second until he lost it, though he eventually got a point when Rusty retired.

We had a new pair of Masters and Wolbert in the last heat and they gave us a side-by-side team riding demo for a closing 5-1.

Full Result Details