MONARCHS SCRAPE HOME

NEWS Friday 10th July 2009, 1:08am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs won the big clash against title favourites in front of a big Armadale attendance - but it was far from a vintage Monarchs' performance.

Basically they were gifted an opportunity to take all three points as both Darcy Ward and Jan Graversen crashed out of the meeting, but the remaining Stars overcame adversity to fight back and gain a deserved point.

Would they have won had Ward avoided injury in heat 5? Yes.

Team manager Rob Lyon, though, lost some of the sympathy which might have been due to his side with his protest over the Monarchs' team lineup (justified, but inexcusably late) and an apparent attempt to pull the wool over officials eyes and delay the meeting over the Graversen injury.

Ward's appearance was eagerly anticipated, and even though he was only third in heat 1 he had a thrilling battle with Aaron Summers.

He then led heat 5 but unaccountably rode across the turn and hammered into the fence, a crash which caused him to pull out of the meeting.

Jan Graversen also hit the fence hard in heat 4, and also pulled out, which left the Stars with five riders.

Undaunted, they battled on and even though they had just a single rider in heat 13, they took all available points in the last three heats to close to within a point, taking a match point, the first team to get one at Armadale.

On the home side only Matthew Wethers passed muster, though Ryan Fisher started the match well. There were complaints in the home camp regarding the slick track.

Full Result Details