Tigers snatch it at the last gasp

REPORT Friday 25th April 2025, 11:26pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

A heat 15 5-1 from their two most impressive riders Dan Thompson and Kyle Howarth gained Glasgow a 46-44 away victory in a thrilling match, one which virtually guarantees that they will top the section in the early season BSN series. They have already won at Berwick.

Monarchs team captain Paco Castagna said "It was a very narrow loss, a heat 15 loss is never nice but I think the team showed what they can do tonight. It is a 'young' team which hasn't been together long. I think not long ago we won at Glasgow so we'll see what is possible, I have faith in what's coming!"

Glasgow managed the win with Chris Harris having an off-night by his standards, and with their reserve pairing scoring just the single point from heat 2. They owed much to their final heat pairing but also to a battling display by Leon Flint and improvement by Ashton Boughen on previous performances this season.

The home side were ultimately disappointed but there were some definite plus points for them as well, none more so than Polish star Oskar Polis who won two of his four heats on his way to a total of 9, an outstanding debut.

Victor Palovaara was the other high achiever for Monarchs and was a little unlucky not to score more. Full marks to Dayle Wood for his contribution but they needed a bit more from their most experienced men Justin Sedgmen and Kye Thomson. Sedgy did win heat 13.

It had been a tight match throughout with the lead passing from one team to the other, or more often level. There were some great tussles, starting with heat 3 in which captain Castagna took Howarth from the back. Paco looked well in the mood in the early stages but could not find the gas to take anything from heats 13 or 15.

Polis had gated in his first heat but dropped back to third, then flew home for his first win in heat 5 to the delight of the home fans.

As in their previous home match the two Swedes teamed up for heat 8, with Palovaara winning but Jonatan Grahn just missing out in a terrific battle with Boughen for second. That levelled the scores.

Glasgow took a 5-1 in heat 10 against the home opening pair with Sedgmen disappointingly at the back, but just as we thought that could be the decisive move Monarchs hit back in another thriller, Castagna winning and Palovaara defeating Harris in a great battle.

At last Sedgmen came to life for heat 13, winning a shared heat, and heat 14 was the race of the night. Four laps with Polis, Palovaara and Flint duelling at high speed, it looked like a home 5-1 most of the way but the determined Flint caught Victor coming off the last bend,

That proved crucial and left the door open for the two top Tigers to finish the job. As we've said a few times, Monarchs tend to need a bit of an advantage coming in to these closing heats.

Monarchs have now raced Glasgow three times and only won the one away from home! Tomorrow they go to Berwick with four guests in their lineup due to international commitments.

Full Result Details