Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers

REPORT Friday 27th April 2012, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scowaste Monarchs didn’t really have to break sweat to pick up all three points against Glasgow.

The Tigers won twice last season in West Lothian but this is a much different side from the one which sported Nick Morris, Theo Pijper, Michal Rajkowski and Christian Henry. The contribution in this match from their bottom four was minimal.

Monarchs gated well for most of the match, though not in heat 1 in which Joe Screen was first to the corner. However Andrew Tully got his exit from the second bend just right and flew to the front with a perfectly judged inside pass. Derek Sneddon was comfortably third.

Robert Ksiezak was away well in heat 2 but Charles Wright was in front by the time Robert stopped before the end of the first lap. Thereafter it was a cruise to a 5-1.

Theo Pijper and Matthew Wethers led heat 3 from the gate but James Grieves compensated for a poor start by coming right through the middle of the home pair off the pits corner. He never looked back and partner O’Malley managed to clear the track after falling.

Craig Cook was a comfortable winner in heat 4, another home 4-2 with Wright third, but Joe Screen took Tigers’ second race win in heat 5. Matthew Wethers was alongside him for the first lap but was taken wide on the pits corner, and in the latter stages it was Pijper who moved through and gained some ground.

The Monarchs’ pair led heat 6, won by Tully, but Grajczonek managed to get past Sneddon for second spot.

It was time for a TR, James Grieves in heat 7, but there was no mistake from Craig Cook. With O’Malley well back it was a 4-4.

No Tiger heat leaders in heat 8, and consequently a stroll to a 5-1 for Sneddon and Wright. Derek made a lightning gate.

Theo Pijper hadn’t been quite at his best in his first two rides but he was away for a good win in heat 9. Matthew Wethers tried to get to grips with Grajczonek but had to settle for third.

Easy win for Tully in heat 10, but the race was for second as Grieves passed Sneddon, then Derek came back again round the outside. Finally Grieves did the same in return and secured second spot in a good race.

It was time for the second TR in heat 11 but Cook easily beat Screen. The race this time was between Dyer, keeping a wide line, and Campton who was trying to come inside him, and finally did with a good cutback. The first and only point won by the Tigers’ bottom four.

Heat 12 was a good one. It looked as though Theo Pijper would win but Grieves put him under pressure and finally passed in style round the outside.

Once again a powerful gate by Craig Cook took him clear in heat 13, while Andrew Tully fought hard to stop Joe Screen coming round him. Eventually he pulled away.

Heat 14 was another easy 5-1 for Wethers and Dyer against O’Malley and the disappointing Ksiezak, and we finished with another great display from Cook and Tully to demolish Grieves and Screen in the final race.