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Edinburgh Monarchs v Workington Comets
Premier Trophy (Group), 13 May 2005
Armadale Stadium, Edinburgh

Edinburgh 49
1Rusty Harrison212*2*2 ..92
2Ross BradyFx033. ..60
3Cameron Woodward000.. ..00
4Theo Pijper311Fx. ..50
5Daniel Nermark2*3331* ..122
6William Lawson21133 ..100
7David McAllan1*32*1. ..72
Workington 41
1Carl Stonehewer33203 ..110
3(g)Craig Branney11*010 ..31
4Shaun Tacey22102 ..70
5Kauko Nieminen12*2*1. ..62
6Kevin Little32*3X3 21*142
7Jonathan Bethell0000. ..00

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

Edinburgh needed to win this match to maintain an interest in the Premier Trophy. They faced a 26 point deficit from the first leg so were unlikely to take the bonus. The Monarchs were at full strength with new signing, David McAllan, coming into the side at number 7. Workington , who had already won the section, were without both Aidan Collins and Scott Robson both missing as a result of injuries. They used Rider Replacement at number 2 and had Craig Branney as a guest at number 3. Jonathan Bethall continued in the reserve berth at number 7.

Any hopes Edinburgh might have had of challenging for the bonus point soon disappeared as they struggled to contain a lively Comets side who consistently outgated them. Things started to go wrong for Monarchs in this Friday the 13th match as early as heat 1 when Ross Brady, after a fast start, fell on the second bend and was excluded. Carl Stonehewer was too fast for Rusty Harrison in the rerun and Workington were off to a 2-4 start. The Edinburgh reserves started well in heat 2 but David Mcallan had a good look at the first bend fence on the second lap as Kevin Little slipped past him and then also past William Lawson a lap later to share the heat. Heat 3, won by Theo Pijper, was shared but Edinburgh wiped out the Comets advantage to lead themselves with a heat four 5-1 from David McAllan and Daniel Nermark with Kauko Nieminen third. The score after 4 heats was 13-11 but a shock was in store for the Monarchs.

Carl Stonehewer and Kevin Little took a 1-5 in heat 5 as Theo Pijper followed the Comets’ pair home and another Comets 1-5 came in heat 6 from Kevin Little again and Kauko Nieminen with Rusty Harrison and Ross Brady trailing behind to shoot the Workington side into a six point lead at 15-21. Edinburgh hit back with a 4-2 in heat 7 from Daniel Nermark and William Lawson with Shaun Tacey in second place and then a 5-1 from Brady and McAllan ahead of Shaun Tacey after Kevin Little had brought down Ross Brady in the first running of the heat and been excluded. The score after eight heats was 24-24.

Edinburgh were behind again in heat 9 when Kevin Little and Kauko Nieminen took another 1-5 with Theo Pijper third to take the score to 25-29 and the home fans were decidedly worried with Carl Stonehewer out three times in the remaining six heats and Kevin Little still with two rides available. However the Monarchs finally shook off their lethargy and rattled home two 5-1s and two 4-2s over the next four heats to all but tie up the match.

In heat 10 a Brady/Harrison 5-1 levelled the scores before Daniel Nermark ended Carl Stonehewer’s winning run with an impressive William Lawson third to put the Monarchs two points in front after heat 11. William Lawson replaced Cameron Woodward in heat 12 and cleverly beat Kevin Little with David McAllan third to stretch the lead to four points. Then in heat 13 Nermark and Harrison rocketed from the gate to take a 5-1 with Nieminen in third place to put the Monarchs 43-35 ahead. In heat 14 Theo Pijper came to grief on the third bend and injured his shoulder. In the rerun William Lawson again out manoeuvred Shaun Tacey and Kevin Little for an excellent heat win and share of the points. In the last heat the Comets were allowed to field Jonathan Bethell for some reason or other but Carl Stonehewer trapped to win the heat for a 3-3.

Match Report by Merlin