King Jamie

While last night was possibly the most comfortable 4-point victory ever witnessed, yet again the lack of top end strength hit Monarchs hard when it mattered most, allowing the Bluebus Bears to collect the aggregate bonus point. Heats 13 and 15 remain a major annoyance this season. We've ridden 16 meetings in all competitions. Removing Berwick away last Saturday (abandoned after heat 12), this leaves 15 meetings. In 11 of those, we've lost a 5-1 in either 13 or 15. Last night was, however, the first time it's happened in both races. The only advantages we've gained were at home to Berwick (BSN, heat 13 4-2) and Workington (KOC, heat 15 5-1). No advantages have been earned on the road. Aggregate scores: Heat 13 - Monarchs 37-53 Opponents Heat 15 - Monarchs 29-61 Opponents That's a shocking amounts of points to concede and have to make up elsewhere across the board. There are some positives though. With the exception of the aforementioned Berwick abandonment, we've scored at least 40 points in every meeting. At least we're competitive then! To last night and it was good to see Justin Sedgmen finally collect his first home race win since 23 May (or 7 days earlier if you only include 'average counting' meetings). He must've been chuffed with that, as he rattled off another 3 in quick succession. For the Bears, Daniel King surely must be one of the best ever visitors to sunny Armadale. His only points dropped came in heat 9 when he was partaking in some Ace team riding, not that young Pijper needed any help to keep the blundering Michele Castagna at the back, the skipper eventually plopping into his favourite bend 4 air fence panel on lap 3. That basically summed up the Italian's evening. It's fair to say the pizza was somewhat flat. MPT continues to frustrate. A rider I've always liked (it's the name!), we're still awaiting him to show the kind of form which saw him pass Sam Masters from the back on more than one occasion at the Cardiff of the North. Always seemingly able to find grip where others couldn't, it simply hasn't happened for him as yet in a Monarchs race suit. His night ended up with him dribbling into the same air fence panel as Castagna. Perhaps he was told it tasted nice? That moment of what some may describe as blatant cheating should've opened the door for Victor P to at least split the visiting duo in the rerun. Alas, sadly not. The Swede looked shockingly slow and drifted so far off the line he pretty much invited Charles Wright up his inside. And, just to prove it wasn't a one-off, he looked even slower in heat 15. Any chance we can move him back to reserve? Pretty please?

Don't you remember Drew Kemp, Jason Edwards and Anders Rowe riding for the Monarchs in recent years? That's not an exclusive list of course. It goes back several years. Michael Coles, Lawrence Hare, Jamie and Jeremy Luckhurst, Justin Elkins, Justin Walker, John Wainwright. Much more recently, Ryan Fisher, Sam Masters, etc. Probably loads more. If Glasgow are paying extras (according to Mr Blobby), surely that's classed as competitive advantage. The promotions have a choice. Pay it or don't pay it. Simples. All's fair in sport and all that.

I know it wasn't me who said it in the first place but I absolutely would say the same if it was a Monarchs rider involved. I was a big Max Clegg fan during his career. Ironically, it was Mr Blobby who mentioned something along the lines of, "he's been treated unfairly by those in charge" when Max announced his retirement. I asked the Blobbster to remind me of the occasions he was referring to. Can't recall whether I got an answer. Anyhow, rules are there for a reason. No special treatment. Otherwise, it simply opens the proverbial floodgates. I also realise rules have been bent in the past. Doesn't make it right though. PS good luck to Ashton in whatever he does next. Speedway or otherwise, it's all kinda irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

Something of a farce. Shame really, as Oxford was one of the meetings I was looking forward to. Sam Masters getting 7 rides is enough to induce sleep. Watching him dribble round the white line whilst half a lap ahead is not my idea of entertainment. I pay money to watch racing, not exhibitionism. He has the highest average of any rider in the Championship and is the only second tier rider with a Premiership average of over 7.00 (indeed, it's over 7.50!). "Look at me... dribble, dribble... I'm too good for this League... dribble, dribble... another win... Ker-ching!" Joy 🙁

That's not you dropping another jealousy bomb, surely?

The above shows why I flunked Science at school. Cheers chaps!

On Norway Day too.

What did we say?

Drama aplenty at sunny Armadale last night as Captain Cook and his merry band of Pirates sailed south with league points in the bag. Monarchs only have themselves to blame for the defeat. Heats 12 and 14 summed it up. While I can accept mistakes from the relatively inexperienced Dayle Wood, I can't afford the same leeway to Michele Castagna 2 races later. Some may call his efforts over trying. I call it gross stupidity. Plank. Not that it really mattered as the impending heat 15 1-5 was blindingly obvious. We've conceded a 5-1 in either heat 13 or 15 in all meetings bar one (Berwick at home) thus far this season. That said, we couldn't have had a much tougher start. Glasgow home and away twice plus Poole at home, with Berwick (H&A) sandwiched in there also. The upcoming clashes with Plymouth and Workington should give us a much better idea of where we are. Concede 1-5s in those meetings and we may as well give up. Hats off to Victor P for scoring almost half our points. He must be one of the best reserves to grace second tier shale in the UK. That said, his one failure last night (heat 11) turned the meeting in the visitors' favour. Hats off also to Darryl Ritchings. Not the worst performance I've ever seen from a visiting number 7 on their first visit. One further thing, aside from the racing. The sun delay seemed somewhat unnecessary. Whatever happened to those goggles with tints through them which acted like shades? Do riders not keep a pair spare nowadays? If so, why didn't they bring them? It's not as if the big yellow thing only just appeared yesterday. Indeed, if such a product is still in existence, I hope all riders who didn't pack a pair in their kit bag were fined. Heavily.

7 rides also for Dayle Wood may keep it even closer.

They've got to run the fixture at some point, preferably sooner rather than later. Can't keep avoiding dates to suit others.

Surely if there's a mathematical possibility that we could knock Poole out of the competition, Glasgow will do the honourable thing...

It's a pity the numbers game didn't allow Monarchs to replace Max James with Jack Smith. Would've been really cool having Jack and Victor at reserve.

And why would they?

Sunny Armadale hosted its first meeting in 1997. The date? Friday 4th April. The score? 43-47. When do we sign Peter Carr? A few things from tonight: Heats 13 and 15 went as expected. The lack of real top end strength will define this season. Michele Castagna - dreadful lack of team riding in heat 7, leaving young Max to fend off Leon Flint. To follow that up by landing himself in the fence while chasing shadows a couple of laps later was,quite frankly, pathetic. Super Grahn is probably Average Grahn at best. Didn't really attack the track and looked relatively slow throughout. Overall not the worst evening's racing, with a not unexpected defeat thrown in for good measure. Let's hope for warmer weather in the coming weeks. Only two and a half months 'til summer...