Tigers take two points

REPORT Saturday 8th August 2026, 0:02am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

At the end of another thrilling and dramatic Scottish derby, Glasgow were the happier team after taking a point for a draw and winning the Superheat to add the aggregate bonus point. The earlier match at Ashfield was also a draw of course.

From Monarchs viewpoint, having been six up at Ashfield with two heats to go, and four up at Armadale with two heats to go, they will be only too aware that they have let the lion's share of the points slip away.

Guests have played their part over both matches, and having had a disappointing guest in their home leg Tigers will have been thrilled by the display of Nick Morris who scored a five ride full maximum and also won the Superheat. He didn't always make the start but he was so powerful off the second bend and down the back straight that he went to the front every time.

They will give a pat on the back to their other guest Reid Battye at no. 7. The Berwick Aussie won his first ever race at Armadale and finished with paid 6.

There were many points won and lost along the way that might have made the difference. Monarchs tended to gate better but Tigers achieved more overtakes, with Chris Harris much to the fore as always.

With three heats remaining, Monarchs were two up and in heat 13, Kye Thomson gained the lead early on. Dan Thompson and Chris Harris fought a fierce battle for the second place with the Tigers' captain just taking it.

An advantage in heat 14 would have given Monarchs the victory and three league points, and for most of the race with Paco Castagna leading and Mitch Cluff third (after Battye had fallen) it seemed that would happen. However Kevin Juhl Pedersen did not give up and with a wide last corner he grabbed the win by a tyre. Paco admitted after the match that he had thought it was Cluff behind him.

Into the last heat and as he did all night, Morris worked his way to the front leaving Harris to tussle with the home men. It was a tough battle but he battled past both of them.

That set up a Superheat which seemed to be going Glasgow's way with Dan Thompson at the beck. Kye Thomson passed Harris for second but next time round got it wrong, hit the kerb and ran into Morris. In the melee Dan Thompson took a knock. Kye had to be excluded so the rerun was a formality, the only thing that's important in a Superheat being who is the non-scoring rider.

Mitch Cluff again had a fine match for Monarchs with paid 11 from reserve. After his struggles early in the season he has become an important man. He said "It's a tough one, a Scottish derby, to let it slip. I thought we would tie it up in heat 14 but Paco got done on the line and then we know what happened. Fair play to Bomber. For myself I'm happy with how I did but we win together as a team and we lose together as a team. We needed Jordy, I hope he'll be back soon."

Full Result Details