Speedway: Fighting spirit deserts Monarchs for Glasgow fixture

Published on Friday 29 July 2011 12:33

A LACKLUSTRE Edinburgh Monarchs team were deservedly humbled 58-32 by arch rivals Glasgow Tigers in yesterday's dull Premier League speedway clash at Ashfield Stadium.

The Tigers tails are definitely up now and they will fancy their chances of overturning Monarchs again in Friday's keenly-anticipated return fixture at Armadale. However, Monarchs acting team manager Alex Harkess said: "I hope they do and loads of Glasgow supporters come along to see their side get beaten!"

Monarchs were 10-2 down after just two races and never looked like recovering from this early knockout blow. Only skipper Matthew Wethers and top scorer Andrew Tully, and to a lesser degree Kevin Wolbert, showed any stomach in taking the fight to the Tigers who must have been astonished at just how easy it was for them.

Tully, who along with Wethers won two races, looked the most aggressive visitor on show.

Craig Cook and Kalle Katajisto by contrast were just woeful. Katajisto had two retirals and picked up just two points and Cook, after being excluded for touching the tapes in heat six, didn't even complete his programmed rides, claiming he felt unwell in the second half.

Glasgow, who were minus Joe Screen, James Grieves and Christian Henry, hired guest riders Claus Vissing and Josef Franc, the former storming to a hefty 13-point total from his five outings.

But it was at reserve where Tigers inflicted the most damage, with teenager Nick Morris hugely impressive on his way to a 15-point haul and partner Michal Rajkowski weighing in with eight. Their Monarchs' counterparts Kyle Howarth and Adam McKinna, standing in for the injured Tim Webster, mustered a single point each and this told its own story.

Harkess added: "We got off to a disappointing start and it was uphill from thereon. Matthew and Andrew did everything they could. Kevin proved when he made a start he could win but he couldn't do it regularly enough."

Glasgow: Morris 15, Vissing 13, Pijper 9, Rajkowski 8, Sweetman 7, Franc 6.

Monarchs: Tully 10, Wethers 9, Wolbert 7, Katajisto 2, Cook 2, McKinna 1, Howarth 1.