Speedway: Winning ugly can be the key to third title triumph

And, if that's the case, Edinburgh Scotwaste Monarchs could be heading for a third championship crown this season.

Monarchs are four points clear at the top of the table after swatting aside Newport Wasps 52-38 at Armadale last night.

Newport did not ride like a side who are struggling at the wrong end of the league and the Monarchs certainly didn't look like world beaters and still have the tendency to press the self-destruct button on occasions.

If frittering away points needlessly was an Olympic sport, Monarchs would be gold medallists.

They had five non-finishers, which helped Newport to apply a certain gloss to their final points tally.

Reserve Cal McDade was the first to come to grief when he tumbled off in heat two. The Scot ended up with three points but it could have been double that had he just stayed on his bike.

The young Monarch said: "I struggled a bit because the track was a bit difficult early on, I fell off going into the corner when I hit a sticky patch but I rode steadier later on and I just need more experience.

"Monarchs are putting no pressure on me and to get three points was acceptable. I can't be disappointed with that because Newport turned out to be a better side than many had expected."

Perhaps the most spectacular mishap involved Newport's tail-ender Todd Curtz, who flew into the fence after parting from his machine in the second race.

The Aussie then tried to grab his bike but it was still under power and ran away from him but, luckily, Kurtz escaped unhurt.

He said: "I don't remember a lot. It happened so fast, I just jumped up and wanted to get off the track as quickly as I could.

"These things happen, you just move on."

Monarchs, thanks to their various tribulations, only led 21-14 after six races and alarm bells began to sound in the next race when Newport pair Kyle Legault and Craig Watson scored a 5-1 over McDade and Andrew Tully, who made a mistake on the fourth bend of the first lap.

If Newport saw this as a signpost towards a major shock, they were quickly made to think again as Monarchs extracted maximums from the next four races – a mini points avalanche which knocked the stuffing out of the Welsh visitors.

And, although Monarchs skipper Matthew Wethers was disqualified in the final heat, he was satisfied with his own 12 point return and his team's overall effort.

He said: "We stay top of the table, so it's a job well done. It was a great result for us, especially since we haven't had a match for two weeks."

This was a sentiment echoed by Legault who only scored six points for the Wasps round a Lothian Arena track he normally enjoys.

He said: "We tried hard and I tried hard and I expected more from myself.

"It was difficult because we haven't raced a meeting for four weeks so we have not been together as a unit for a while. It was like starting the season all over again.

"I usually come to Armadale and ride well and, although the track was perhaps slicker than I remember, it just wasn't my night."

Legault added that the Wasps will be seeking revenge in Sunday's return fixture at Queensway Meadows.

"We have struggled at home and have only won one league match at our own track, so it is going to be difficult.

"Newport isn't even my favourite track in the country...but we will give it a real go and hope to do to Edinburgh what they did to us."

Monarchs biggest calamity was to surrender a 5-0 in the heat 15 finale after Tully hit the fence following the earlier dismissal of Wethers for tangling with Wasps No.1 Leigh Lanham. Tully hurt his heel bone but said: "I'll be fine for this weekend's matches but I feel a bit battered and bruised.

"I had a very up and down match and also had problems with my bikes."

And mechanical woes also affected team-mate Ryan Fisher, who took a heavy knock when put under pressure by Lanham in heat 13.

The American said: "I came off pretty heavily and, although my body feels sore, I'm more disappointed with how my engines performed. They did not run as I would have liked."

Fisher's partner Tobias Busch was less than pleased with two points from three outings, his only success a 5-1 with Kalle Katajisto in the eighth race.

Said Busch: "It took me two races before I found the correct set-up for my bike. After that I rode a bit better as the track smoothed itself out a little.

"I just need a bit more experience in finding the right set-ups, not just for Armadale but the away circuits as well. It was a hard night for me."

Katajisto, with some truly hairy riding, was Monarchs top scorer with 13 points while Lanham and Craig Watson fought hard for the Wasps with ten points apiece.

Monarchs used rider replacement to cover for the absent Kevin Wolbert.

Monarchs: Katajisto 13, Wethers 12, Tully 11, Fisher 11, McDade 3, Busch 2.

Newport: Lanham 10 Watson 10, Legault 6, Nilsson 6, Davies 3, Aspergren 2, Kurtz 1.