A bad night at the races

REPORT Friday 17th May 2024, 10:28pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

From the euphoria of an away win at Glasgow last Friday to the depression of a home defeat in the first Championship match – and that against a Plymouth side who some rated as one of the weakest in the league. To be honest that was a misleading assessment as the Gladiators are a solid side, but we can't duck the fact that they were forced to track a National League junior at number one.

To add to the feeling of gloom, Stellar Monarchs lost their inspirational number one Josh Pickering in a crash in his second ride, and it remains to be seen how serious the shoulder injury suffered by Josh might be. Josh had come from the back to win heat 1 and was shaping to go outside Barker and Joe Thompson in heat 6 when he caught the fence.

A disappointed home team manager Alex Harkess said "Their reserves were too strong for ours and we were always chasing our tail. Everyone was saying Plymouth were one of the weaker teams but it just goes to show. We started the match two riders down and went to three riders down, and you just can't carry that."

Plymouth had made a strong start but it was that heat 6 incident which made a fightback by the home side so difficult. Both Thomson and Sedgmen did win IRR heats for Pickering but there would also have been a tac sub ride and heat 15 had Josh been available.

There's no denying though that Plymouth earned their win. Ben Barker was unbeaten in his first three heats, Joe Thomson won his first two and Dan Thompson lived up to all we have heard about him with a mature 13 points. Armadale specialist Kyle Newman didn't come good till his last ride but they always seemed to have something in hand.

A 15-3 leathering for the home reserves had a lot to do with the final score, and senior reserve Connor Coles was not able to play the role he would have wanted.

Plymouth cannily maintained their six point advantage from that fateful heat 6 through to heat 12, before the Monarchs' pair of Thomson and Sedgmen took a 5-1 over Barker, the latter's first defeat. However it would then have taken a win from Paco Castagna to keep home hopes alive but he was headed by Jacob Hook (back to haunt us) and Kyle Newman.

Dan Thompson finished with a heat 15 win and it is some season for him. Monarchs are left to hope that Josh Pickering is not too badly hurt because it will be very tough if he is out for any length of time.

Full Result Details