Redcar Bears v Edinburgh Monarchs

REPORT Thursday 10th April 2008, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

A good close battle between the Scotwaste Monarchs and the Bears was brought to a disappointing end when the rain came and wouldn?t go away following heat 9.

At that point Redcar were leading 28-26 but the end result could have gone either way, and there had been plenty of talking points.

There was a remarkable start. Gary Havelock returned to the pits with very little of the 2-minute time allowance left, and he was ruled out just as he turned back towards the track. So our excellent opening pair faced up to the two Bears? reserves (Giffard already in as rider replacement) ? and they lost a 5-1!

An unexpectedly smooth and quick ride by the home pair (Bugeja looking much improved) kept them in front even though Ryan Fisher almost levelled with Bugeja several times. The track was already looking too dry for much passing and the inside line was the place to be.

In answer to this, we had five of the next six heat winners as we set about overcoming that bad start. Aaron Summers smoothly won heat 2, but Andrew Tully discovered what Fisher already knew, that there was precious little grip for passing.

It was typical slick-track racing with everyone going virtually the same speed and all the times exactly the same (everything between 56.1 and 56.7).

However that didn?t mean there was no interest in the racing. Heat 3 was a good one with Grieves leading all the way under strong pressure from Jonasson who was really looking the part. Some way back, William Lawson held off Auty for third.

We did see a good pass in heat 4 and it was the amazing Wethers, chasing all the way on the Bears? impressive new Aussie Ty Proctor and pulling off an excellent last lap pass. He did it on the outside but kept in close to his opponent and didn?t drift up the turns.

Aaron picked up another good point and we were now two down.

Ryan displayed his first bend skill to cut under James Grieves off the second bend and go ahead in heat 5 ? only for the heat to be stopped as Grieves had got a flier.

Once again Ryan did the job round the first corner, this time on the outside, going ahead perfectly into the third corner and cutting in to the line.

Grieves gave fierce chase in a good heat and was just short at the line. Derek hadn?t joined the party yet and was well back behind Auty.

Heat 6 was dramatic. Wethers led from the tapes, Havelock looked like catching him as the came over the line to start lap two ? but he misjudged it and thumped into the back of our rider. This appeared to dislodge Havelock?s chain, and also his brain as he gesticulated to the referee and dismounted, leaving his bike on the track.

Wethers and Tully now led but had to move wide on the first bend of lap two to miss the Havelock machine. The race had to be stopped, and the new rule (riders must have completed two laps before a heat can be awarded) prevented the race being awarded, even though it was an obvious candidate to be so under a fairer ruling.

Needless to say Bugeja led the rerun but Matthew again pulled off a good outside pass, so we levelled up with a 4-2.

Will there be repercussions for Havelock over his actions? Well there should be.

Now we saw Thomas Jonasson turning in another great ride, blasting past Proctor down the back straight and turning in a fast and stylish win. Very encouraging.

Proctor won heat 8 but Aaron and Derek managed to keep Giffard at the back.

Heat 9 was a good three-way battle with Tully between Grieves and Auty, and all three positions in doubt up to the final yard. This time Matthew got stuck at the rear and couldn?t progress.

Immediately after that heat the heavy rain came on. It eased off eventually, the riders waited to see if things would improve and Glyn Taylor went out to try to rip up the track. It didn?t work and we all went home.

Full Result Details