Reading Racers v Edinburgh Monarchs

REPORT Sunday 13th July 2008, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

We made it hard for ourselves at times, but a 7-point victory at Reading is an outstanding result which takes us virtually to the pinnacle of the league table.

The Racers hadn?t lost at home in the league and have generally been well above fifty, so everyone will take note of the result. Our performance was sportingly praised by Reading officials and supporters.

We hoped that Thomas would carry on where he left off on our last visit, and we were certainly not disappointed as he flew away to win heat 1 in a very fast time.

Guest Stojanowski didn?t look good in this one and fell at the back, puncturing the air fence. Fortunately there was no stoppage though we had the first of several lengthy repair sessions.

Next up the reserves, and while Derek gated, Aaron drove through the home reserves in the manner of compatriot Leigh Adams at Leszno last Saturday! They comfortably completed the 5-1, and it was to be a lead we never lost.

Not that it ever felt easy! Ostergaard led heat 3 but Ryan Fisher was right on his tail with a thrilling chase. The Dane couldn?t believe he hadn?t shaken him off by the last lap.

Unfortunately Ryan put just too much into his challenge though, and reared up off the second bend, crashing into the fence. Fortunately the following riders missed him.

Mills looked good in heat 4 but Matthew and Aaron shared it comfortably.

Stojanowski snapped into gear and made the start in heat 5 with Thomas right behind him.

Ostergaard misjudged his move up the back straight, clipped Thomas and fell. He was OK after treatment but excluded, and we duly took 5 off the rather feeble Suchanek.

However the Racers got that straight back. Derek tried a bld outside sweep on the first corner but locked up, and after that he and Matthew trailed Lemon and Madsen.

We might have had a chance to improve our 2-point lead in heat 7 but while Ryan took a smooth win, Andrew lost a chain at the back on the second bend.

Thomas kept his unbeaten run going with an easy win off gate 4 in heat 8, but Aaron this time was at the back.

Derek had the cheek to lead Ostergaard in heat 9 though in the end the home star passed him ? another shared heat. Matthew wasn?t having a great meeting but he was picking up points.

Heat 10 was another chance lost. Derek led the heat with Ryan behind him figgting off Lemon and Madsen. This he did brilliantly, until the final lap when he decided to try a wide turn and once again lifted and crashed. It was a silly mistake but he is such a bold rider.

So we were just two up but in the next, with Stojanowski and Jonasson ahead, both Mills and Smith fell, independent of one another. Both were excluded, a correct decision though there were some moans in the home camp. After some more fence repairs we took a 5-0 to go 7 up.

Nicky Glanz fell on the first bend of heat 12, and while Andrew?s wobble might have had something to do with it, Glanz was out. We shared it behind Ostergaard, and even though we had already passed the 2-hour mark we now had an interval.

Importantly we shared heat 13 behind Lemon, keeping Mills at the back. Stojanowski had done a job for us after that bad first ride and now we just needed to avoid two 5-1s against over the last two heats.

Fortunately Ryan kept his head in heat 14 and rode home behind Derek for a match winning 5-1.

There was still more drama. The final heat featured the two leading Racers against Stojanowski and Jonasson, and at the first turn Thomas blasted round the outside. Ostergaard closed the door hard and appeared to force Thomas off his machine and along the top of the fence.

It was a surprise that Ostergaard was allowed in the rerun. Perhaps Mick Bates felt he had given enough decisions our way. A more pleasant surprise was that tough Thomas was OK for the rerun too, and we had a great race. Lemon was away off gate 1 with Ostergaard second, but amazingly Thomas passed him with a lovely outside run before the end of lap one.

He held second till the final bend when he went in too tight, and Ostergaard regained second round the outside, the prime passing line at Smallmead.

However we had all survived and we had an important three points.

Full Result Details