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Newport Wasps v Edinburgh Monarchs
Premier League, 22 May 2005
Queensway Meadows, Newport

Newport 47
2Kristian Lund0102. ..30
3Mads Korneliussen2F032* 0.71
4Neil Collins1211*1 ..61
5(g)Chris Harris36^32*2 2.181
6Tony Atkin11T23 33130
7Karlis EzergailisF00.. ..00
Edinburgh 46
1Daniel Nermark3111. ..60
2Ross Brady1330. ..70
3Cameron Woodward2*1*30. ..62
4Theo Pijper32021 ..80
5Rusty Harrison22233 ..120
6William Lawson3001. ..40
7David McAllan2*010. ..31

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

Newport , having lost to Stoke and King’s Lynn in their last two matches, were desperate to avoid a third consecutive home loss. Aiding their cause was Elite League rider Chris Harris who was allowed under the rules to guest for Craig Watson. Another boost for the Wasps, strangely enough, was the absence through illness of Michael Coles currently riding at number one but whose average is currently sixth highest in the Wasps’ averages. This allowed them to use any of their 1-5 to take a R/R ride including Chris Harris. Edinburgh were at full strength.

Edinburgh got off to a whirlwind start with a 2-4 from Daniel Nermark and Ross Brady, followed by two consecutive 1-5s. William Lawson and David McAllan took the reserves race from Tony Atkin then Theo Pijper and Cameron Woodward added another maximum as Mads Korneliussen fell at the back while Neil Collins pushed home for a point that was to prove highly significant by the end of the meeting. Chris Harris won heat 4 from Rusty Harrison with Tony Atkin picking up the odd point for a 4-2 which took the score after 4 heats to 8-16.

Ross Brady won heat 5 from Neil Collins with Daniel Nermark third for a 2-4 which stretched the Monarchs lead to 10 points so in heat 6 Newport gave the R/R for Coles to Chris Harris and nominated him as a TR too. Harris duly obliged beating Harrison and Kristian Lund took the odd point for a 7-2 which hauled the Wasps back into the match at 20-25. Another Harris win in heat 7 shared the heat but Edinburgh increased their lead to seven points by winning heat 8 by 2-4 thanks to Brady and McAllan. The score after 8 heats was 22-29.

Harrison could only separate Korneliussen and Collins in heat 9 so Newport took a 4-2 to cut the Monarchs’ lead to 5 points again and a win by Cameron Woodward kept it that way after heat 10 as Pijper’s bike failed just before the start requiring him to use a team mate’s. Then Newport hit their visitors with two crushing blows in heats 11 and 12 both won by 5-1. In heat 11 Tony Atkin jumped from the gate and Harris and Nermark passed and repassed each other with Newport’s guest just getting the verdict on the line. Atkin appeared again in heat 12 and followed Korneliussen home ahead of Lawson to put Newport ahead for the first time in the match at 39-36.

Edinburgh were not finished though and Rusty Harrison came out in heat 13 to inflict the first defeat of the meeting on Chris Harris. With Nermark third the 2-4 meant there was only one point between the sides at 41-40 with two heats to go. In heat 14 Atkin took his seventh ride and won the race from Pijper with Collins third to put Newport three ahead at 45-42 with heat 15 to come. This meant that Edinburgh needed a 1-5 to win the match and things looked good for them when Harrison and Pijper led Harris from the tapes. However Harris passed Pijper at the end of lap one to give Newport the two points they needed for victory.

Match Report by Merlin