Edinburgh edge out Bears
REDCAR fell to a 47-43 Cab Direct Championship defeat against Edinburgh at Armadale. Despite defeat, Redcar picked up the bonus point with an 87-93 two legged success. Justin Sedgmen hit 13 for the hosts whilst Danny King led the Bears charge with a superb paid 17.
The two main differences were Redcar’s 10 last places compared to Edinburgh’s five. Additionally, the Monarchs’ reserves plundered paid 14 in comparison to the Redcar reserves five points.
The Monarchs began with a 4-2 heat advantage as Victor Palovaara held off an early charge from Charles Wright, and with Kye Thomson 3rd ahead of Redcar’s guest William Cairns, Edinburgh had the early advantage.
Heat two saw the “Agilia” Bears Jody Scott gate for the win, but with Ace Pijper making a mistake on lap two, Jordy Loftus was the beneficiary for Edinburgh who secured 3rd for a shared heat in Scotland.
The third race of the Cab Direct Championship clash saw Redcar’s guest Tate Zischke gate alongside Jason Edwards, but with Sedgmen producing fireworks to pass both Bears on bends three and four of lap one, we had another shared heat which maintained Edinburgh’s slim two point lead.
After a shared heat won by Redcar’s Danny King, Edinburgh opened up a six point advantage as Sedgmen took his second win on the trot, and with Paco Castagna in second, the Monarchs fans could breathe slightly easier with a decent buffer over the Bears.
After two more shared heats won by King and Zischke respectively, Edinburgh hit another 5-1 as Jonatan Grahn and Thomson combined to hold off Cairns to open up a 10 point lead, and suddenly Edinburgh had their sights set on the bonus point with the scores level on aggregate.
Heat nine saw Sedgmen lower King’s colours with a tapes to flag win, but with Pijper producing an improved ride to take 2nd with his teammate behind, both sides remained level on aggregate but the hosts still had a 10 point lead for the two league points.
Palovaara took the chequered flag in heat 10, and with Thomson 3rd, Edinburgh opened up a 12 point lead, and for the first time, hit the front 76-74 on aggregate.
Gavin Parr brought out King on a tactical substitute ride in heat 11 to partner Wright but it was Palm-Toft who led from the gate. However, King passed the Dane to take the win, and with Wright 3rd, the scores were level on aggregate.
However, the aggregate pendulum swung once again in Edinburgh’s favour as Sedgmen passed Edwards to collect his 4th win and remain undefeated, and with Grahn 3rd, the home support had three league points in their sights.
Heat 13 saw the Redcar stars King and Wright gate on a 5-1, but with Palm-Toft hitting the air fence on bend four, Palovaara had the re-run to attempt to overcome the British stars.
The re-run saw the Monarchs number one gate, but with King passing Palovaara on lap one, and Wright storming underneath the Swede on bend two of lap three, Redcar hit a vital 5-1 to reduce the arrears to eight on the night, with Redcar now in a two point aggregate lead.
Heat 14 saw Zischke come to the fore with a win, but with Pijper at the rear, Redcar’s hopes of an unlikely win on the night were over. The final heat saw King win, and with Zischke passing both Sedgmen and Palovaara for 2nd, Sedgmen’s hopes of a maximum were over, with Redcar wrapping up the bonus point.
Edinburgh Monarchs = 47 (87)
1. Victor Palovaara = 9
2. Kye Thomson = 5+2
3. Justin Sedgmen = 13
4. Paco Castagna = 3+2
5. Michael Palm Toft = 6
6. Jonatan Grahn = 9+1
7. Jordy Loftus = 2+2
Redcar Bears = 43 (93)
1. Charles Wright = 6+1
2. William Cairns (G) = 1
3. Jason Edwards = 5+1
4. Tate Zischke (G) = 10+1
5. Danny King = 16+1
6. Jody Scott = 3
7. Ace Pijper = 2