A POINT IN EACH MATCH

NEWS Saturday 21st September 2013, 10:45pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs fought out two very close matches at Derwent Park tonight, losing 47-43 in our first Playoff encounter, and 46-44 in the Premier League match.

A point is a reasonable start to the Playoffs, though it could obviously have been that little bit better. The two matches followed a very similar pattern - we made a strong start, faded in the middle and came back to force last heat deciders each time.

Craig Cook scored 15 point maximums in both matches, and was involved in two real thrillers against Rene Bach in the second match. In both these races he pulled off superb overtakes and his current standards are simply incredible.

The remainder of the team worked hard and everyone had some decent rides as well as some not so good ones.

In the Playoff match, we started with two 4-2s and when Jozsef Tabaka and Theo Pijper gated ahead in heat 3, it looked like things we really going our way. Unfortunately Theo got too close to the back of Jozsef and came down on the third corner. We lost the rerun 4-2 and the scores were level after heat 4.

We did regain the lead, but then slumped to two successive 1-5 losses in heats 6 and 7. Comets' guest Chris Schramm (in for Ashley Morris) was proving to be a thorn in our side.

We trailed 31-23 after 9 heats, but Theo Pijper took a couple of excellent wins in heats 10 and 12, both 4-2s to us.

Even better than that, Claus Vissing was showing improved form, and backed up Crvaig Cook to a 5-1 in heat 13, in which our two riders finished a long way ahead of home stars Lawson and Bach.

The scores were now level, but we conceded a disappointing 5-1 in heat 14. Gates 2 and 4 were not good at this stage and neither Jozsef nor Max was able to catch the Comets.

So we needed a 5-1 for a draw, with Theo partnering Craig. It was a comfortable win again for our no. 1 but Theo was not well away, and so we had to settle for a point.

If we take three points against Workington on Friday, the Witches visit to Derwent Park will then be crucial prior to our matches with Ipswich the following week.

In the League match which followed, we took a 6-point lead by heat 4, Max Fricke winning heats 2 and 4 with Claus Vissing backing him to a 5-1 in the latter. Max had to withstand an assault from the aggressive Schramm during heat 2 but held him off well.

However once again we lost ground in mid match, and again heats 6 and 7 were 1-5 losses. We trailed by 34-26 at heat 10 and again needed a fightback if we were to salvage anything.

We took 4-2s in heats 11 and 12, with Cook pulling off an incredible last bend pass on Bach in heat 11 after a race-long chase. How does he do it?

He won a shared heat 13, another brilliant battle with Bach, passing and re-passing this time.

Max Fricke took his third win in heat 14 in which Tabaka just failed to snatch second from Schramm, so we went into the final heat two points down.

Cook completed his maximum again, but Theo Pijper stopped before the end of the race so again we had to settle for the single point.

We have finished fourth in the PL table but attention is now firmly on the Playoffs.