Team Websites for News and More Detailed Match Reports:
Edinburgh Monarchs Website (Official)
Friends of Edinburgh Speedway

Live Updates for a Current or Recent match: Live Speedway Updates
Discussion on Matches and Other Speedway Issues: Speedway Forum

Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers
Premier League, 01 September 2006
Armadale Stadium, Edinburgh

Edinburgh 45
1Theo Pijper32333 ..140
2Daniele Tessari01*10. ..21
3Matthew Wethers1*2*13. ..72
4Henrik Moller230R. ..50
5William Lawson21*210 ..61
6Sean Stoddart2230. ..70
7Derek Sneddon1*1*TR2 ..42
Glasgow 45
2David McAllan1*0210 ..41
3Lee Dicken001*1*. ..22
4Kauko Nieminen31323 1*.131
5Shane Parker33332 2.160
6Robert Ksiezak2Fx02*2 1.71
7James Cockle300.. ..30

* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).

Edinburgh were at full strength for this match but Glasgow were without Danny Bird, who had been refused permission to ride in this match by the BSPA Management Committee, so used Rider Replacement instead at number 1.

Neither side will be quite sure how to look at this result. Edinburgh will be kicking themselves for the two late engine failures which cost them victory while Glasgow are still seething at not being allowed to track Danny Bird. Each set of supporters will have their own take on events but at least both sets will have the satisfaction of avoiding defeat, always unthinkable in these local derby affairs.

Theo Pijper won the opening heat for Edinburgh in a new track record time of 55.2 but Robert Ksiezak (R/R) and David McAllan comfortably filled the minor places for a shared heat. In the reserves race Sean Stoddart rode an excellent first two bends to head off down the back straight in front but Robert Ksiezak fell on the second bend and Derek Sneddon ran into him. In the rerun, as often happens, the rider who was out of it in the first running of the race, James Cockle, leapt from the tapes for a tapes-to-flag win for another 3-3. Kauko Nieminen made a fast start to win another shared race and heat 4, too, was shared. In the first running of the race James Cockle fell on the first bend and William Lawson ploughed into him. The race was rerun with all four riders and Shane Parker shot off for an untroubled win with Lawson and Sneddon following him home. With four shared races the score stood at 12-12.

The deadlock was broken in heat 5. Henrik Moller made the gate and headed off for a comfortable win. Behind him Kauko Nieminen (R/R) and David McAllan slotted into the minor places but, on the fourth bend of the first lap, Matthew Wethers produced a magnificent pass on both Glasgow riders to slip into second place. Nieminen repassed Wethers but the Edinburgh man was not to be denied and moved back into second place on the fourth bend of the second lap to produce a home 5-1 which put the Monarchs four points ahead. It was then back to shared races. Shane Parker won heat 6 with a phenomenal gate which left Pijper, who rounded his partner, Daniele Tessari on the second bend chasing in vain. Then heat 6 was shared, too. Another fast start from Kauko Nieminen was enough to win the race while Sean Stoddart and William Lawson were left to pick up second and third place points as Lee Dicken struggled at the back. In heat 8 Edinburgh stretched their lead to six points. In the first running of the heat Derek Sneddon charged straight through the tapes and was excluded. He was replaced by Sean Stoddart. In the rerun James Cockle was the early race leader but he got badly out of shape on the fourth bend as the riders all converged on the same spot. Once they had sorted themselves out Sean Stoddart raced off for a comfortable win with David McAllan taking second place from Daniele Tessari. The 4-2 took the score to 27-21.

Back came Glasgow with a 1-5 cutting the gap to two points again. Shane Parker and Robert Ksiezak gated to the front and Henrik Moller and Matthew Wethers never looked like catching them. Theo Pijper won heat 10 while behind him Kauko Nieminen lifted badly on the first bend causing Daniele Tessari to back off. Once Nieminen had recovered his composure he, and Lee Dicken, were content to share the race from a disappointing Tessari who finished well behind. This produced another shared heat and the Monarchs were still two points in front. Not for long though as Glasgow levelled the match with a 2-4 in heat 11. Shane Parker (R/R) with another fast start was off and running for the win with William Lawson chasing in vain. At the back Sean Stoddart surrendered his third place to David McAllan by going too wide on the third bend and then falling two bends later. He remounted but Glasgow had taken the heat advantage. Edinburgh were very unlucky in heat 12 though. An excellent start from Matthew Wethers and Derek Sneddon saw them head off down the back straight of the opening lap for a 5-1 when Sneddon suffered an engine failure which gave the Tigers a share of the points taking the score after twelve races to 36-36.

In heat 13 Theo Pijper made the start ahead of Shane Parker to bring the Glasgow man’s winning streak to an end. With William Lawson third Edinburgh took a 4-2 which put them ahead at 40-38 with two races to go. Then the engine gremlins struck the Monarchs again when Henrik Moller’s engine dropped its guts all over the track at the starting gate in heat 14. Derek Sneddon raced off to lead the race but he was caught and passed by Kauko Nieminen. Robert Ksiezak took the third place point for a Glasgow 2-4 which squared the match again. With the scores tied at 42-42 we had the race of the night in heat 15. Theo Pijper rounded Shane Parker on the opening two bends to lead the race but Parker was in pursuit with a vengeance. The Glasgow man thundered into the first bend of the second lap inside Pijper and rode him out to the fence. Pijper, clearly seeing which way the wind was blowing, cut back hard at the top of the second bend and the two riders were neck and neck down the back straight of the second lap. Pijper just got his wheel in front going into the third bend and headed for the fence denying Parker the outside run he clearly craved. Parker had no answer to this manoeuvre and could only follow Pijper home from there. Meanwhile behind them William Lawson, who had got himself into third place, could not hold on and Kauko Nieminen passed him for the third place which shared the points resulting in a drawn match.

Match Report by Merlin