DISAPPOINTING COLLAPSE AT ASHFIELD

NEWS Sunday 25th March 2012, 5:56pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

We led 31-29 after 10 heats of the first leg of the Spring Trophy at Ashfield, but performed dreadfully over the final five heats to go down 52-38.

We might be capable of pulling that back in Friday's second leg, but that isn't really the point after today's display. The point is we have gone for solidity this year, the second strings and reserves performed well and the heat leaders did not.

Crag Cook wasn't too far off the pace with his 6+1, though he gated poorly, but Andrew Tully (two falls, one point) and Matthew Wethers (a flattering 4+2) were well below par and must step up their game.

The major successes were the other four. Derek Sneddon won heat one, and other than a fall in his fourth race performed admirably. Charles Wright was excellent and finished with a fine win, courtesy of a strong second bend.

Theo Pijper started with a win over Grieves and looked at home on a track he knows well now, and nobody would have any complaints about Micky Dyer's 3+3.

It's sock pulling-up time for our numbers 1 and 3 and it must happen now.

The track was fine, the weather was like a July day and the meeting was completed in not much more than 90 minutes. Tigers will be very happy with the result and especially Mason Campton's debut. In the end it was their day.