cyclone

Until heat 10, the Lions looked on course for a win, with their reserve duo of Ellis and Branford being particularly impressive. The self destruct button then seemed to be hit by Leicester and the Monarchs ended winning by a flattering 15 point margin. This was Beach Party Night and it would appear more effort was devoted to providing a sandy beach, rather than a grippy track to suit the home side Apparently when a guest rider recruited from the EL is used, if he has a recent (within 1/2 years earlier ?) PL average, then this will apply, instead of an EL to PL conversion. Hence why North replaced Karlsson. With all riders eligible to cover the absent Bjerre's rides, this looked a good deal, but ended up yielding only 3 points. However this was counterbalanced by the 7 points the impressive Adam Ellis notched, which I doubt Edberg would have emulated. With Ellis back here next week with Ipswich in the PL League Cup semi, another stiff test looks certain, and the home Promotion must ensure that a grippy track is prepared to suit the home boys and also to provide better entertainment for the fans.

Perhaps a slight diversion to Baghdad or Kabul

It says "It's time you visited Specsavers"

Can you afford floodlights and who will provide armed escorts through Springburn on a Friday night :P

Apart from the likelihood that the only points Fenwick will pick up is at the expense of non finishers, there are the ongoing fitness issues with Pijper (broken ribs) and Tabaka (returning from a broken right foot ?). For Leicester, Bjerre is well covered by r/r with Nieminen, Karlsson, and Doolan, more than compensating for his absence. The uncertainty in the Lions camp appears to be whether Edberg will ride, and if so, how fit he will be. There are usually a few genuine Lions Supporters who appear at Armadale for this fixture and are always welcome.

Review on Official Edinburgh website lists Edberg at no. 6 and no reference to him being unavailable. Tommy Fenwick at no. 6 for Monarchs

Your team actually scored 46 points which would have been a winning score if the double points tr was discounted. My own team has suffered the same fate, but has also benefited on other occasions via the double points tr. Given Somerset are considered a top side and no club has a god given right to win every home match, the reaction by some in the Leicester camp does appear ott to a first home defeat this season.

The Speedway Star pundits 2013 Wooden Spoon prediction doesn't look unrealistic either

As it is only League fixtures (4 home, 4 away) which count in changing from an Assessed GSA (i.e. 5.00) to a GSA based on actual results, Max's recent improved scoring has taken place in the recent League and KO Cup fixtures. His League scores (excluding bp)so far are :- Home : vs Scunthorpe 2 (4) vs Plymouth 1 (4) vs Redcar 12 (6) vs Workington 14 (7) Away: vs Scunthorpe 4 (4) vs Plymouth 6 (4) vs Somerset 10 (5) I make that 49 pts from 34 starts which results in a rounded down average of 5.76. So he is actually above his Assessed Average of 5.00 at the moment. Weather permitting, he will complete his fourth away league match today at Worky. Even a zero return from 4 rides today would still produce a GSA of 5.15. It's just the senile witterings of the Whitley Bay Windbag As he is incapable of recognising Darlington from Middlesbrough , or spelling Sudden Sam's surname as Ermolenko, make allowances for his bitter hurt at his beloved Diamonds being dumped out the KO Cup by The Mighty Monarchs at Brough Park on Sunday

Jesper Monberg was in the GPs in 2004

Depending on where you are situated when spectating, you quite often see a different perspective of incidents. Generally when you are closer to an incident with an unimpeded view, the likelihood is you will see the action more accurately. I stand high on the fourth bend terracing and this offers a clear unimpeded view of both entering the third bend and a rear view of the home straight. The texter stood on the lower terracing near the start gate. IIRC George English was viewing from the pits area on the second bend. Myself and friends reckoned the ref called the Henry, Vissing, Fricke, & Lindgren exclusions correctly, which we had decent views of. The Pijper & Tully exclusions on bend 2 were the furthest away but to us appeared very similar (either all 4 r/r or the falling riders excluded). What I would say is that referees box in it's elevated position above the home stand will provide the best overall view of racing in the stadium. Perhaps if George English had taken time to consider he was not in the best position to observe what happened on track, he would not have made his petulant outburst.

Hopefully not the same branch that gave you spectacles that read "Middlesbrough" instead of "Darlington" when the name Michael Brekon appears in print

The FACT is the referee of that name resides in Darlington, not Middlesbrough. Check with Grahame Reeve who will confirm your repeated error, or below is a link to Michael Brekon's Twitter Page : https://twitter.com/speedwayref

Surely you know any decision against Newcastle must be dodgy

Thanks for a comprehensive insight re air fences. Would the same problems be encountered with the alternative of foam fences or do they have different operational problems ?

Surely one of the most heroic performances by any team. Already without two of their first choices through injury (in Tabaka's case, his scoring this year equates to no 3 instead of no 5 as per Green sheets), Pijper riding with broken ribs, Fricke probably still feeling less than 100% after Friday. So r/r & guest no 7 produced a 3 point return in place of Tabaka & Davey against a full strength Newcastle team who were 6 up (7 on aggregate) after 10 heats and we end up dumping the Diamonds out the Cup Looks like our good friend from the West, Paulco, was quite right after all, to dub Max "The Golden Child"

Is there a link to the photos on the web ?

Gating is an important part of a rider's repertoire and Diamonds gave us a lesson tonight in this department. However credit should be given to Robson for passing Cook off the second bend in ht 13. I agree the track appeared poorly set up for the home team, but from the feedback from some, it would be wrong to lay the blame solely at Doc. Tabaka has taken quite a battering over Tuesday and Friday (3 separate times last night) and I would not be surprised if he misses Sunday.

My guess would be Adam Roynon / Andre Compton

According to this week's Speedway Star's averages, which imo provide a more accurate reflection of riders form than GSAs, as they include all points (including bps) from all 2013 Official competitions, Richie Worrall is now the top Diamond with an impressive 9.29. I was very impressed by him when riding in the British Semi at the Dale, and he appears to be going from strength to strength, culminating in an 18pt EL max yesterday. Allied to messrs Robson, Tully & Henry being no mugs around Armadale and the sensational Lewis Kerr at reserve, the patched up Monarchs will be doing well to win their home leg. Over the two legs it will take another herculean performance on a par with that witnessed at Somerset on Tuesday, for Monarchs to emerge as aggregate winners.

On Official Edinburgh website:- John Campbell said "They were all heroes but none more so than Theo Pijper who was riding with two broken ribs after his Longtrack crash at the weekend." I was expecting Theo to be nominated for heat 15, given his emphatic win in heat 11, but now fully appreciate why he was spared further exertion. These guys are really a different breed when it comes to breaking the pain barrier.

Typical abusive reply from the Whitley Bay Windbag when someone questions his snide comments on the ref, when he does not give decisions in favour of Newcastle.

On the replays on Sky, Grajczonek's dirt deflector clearly brushes into Sneddon's front wheel, instead of holding his line, so ref called it correctly Agree with ht 15 decision also as Grajczonek & Tabaka both went for same part of the track exiting bend 2, and Josh got there first and the onus was on Jozsef to back off. Great match, great comeback from Monarchs, great prospect in Max Fricke, and great overtake by Cook on Doyle in ht 15 re-run, to secure three match points for the Mighty Monarchs

Really ? So every time a referee is considered to have been "rubbish", it will be the norm to include his place of residence, be it Middlesbrough or wherever, and refer to it at least twice in a post ?

As you twice refer to the referee being a resident of Middlesbrough in your post, can you explain why you believe it is relevant to emphasise this point ?