Match Report: Swindon Robins vs Edinburgh Monarchs - 24/05/01 - Premier League

Swindon Scorers
1.Claus Kristensen : 2',3,1',ef =6(2)
2.Martin Dixon(c) : 3,2',2,2,1' = 10(2)
3.Neil Collins(g) : 3,3,1,2 = 9
4.Alan Mogridge : 1,2',3,2' = 8(2)
5.Paul Fry : 3,ef,3,3,2 = 11
6.Mark Steel(r) : 3,1,2',3 = 9(1)
7.Ritchie Hawkins(r) : 1,1,0,0 = 2
Team Manager : Mick Bell

Edinburgh Scorers
1.Robert Eriksson : 1,1,1,1' = 4(1)
2.Blair Scott : 0,0,1,0 = 1
3.Peter Carr : 2,3,3,3,3,3 = 17
4.Dalle Andersen : 0,2',0,1 = 3(1)
5.Jan Andersen : 2,1,2,1,2,0 = 8
6.Christian Henry(r) : 2,fr0,0 = 2
7.Derek Sneddon(r) : 0,0,0 = 0 
Team Manager : John Campbell

Speedway Control Board Referee: Mr M Posselwhite

A fair crowd turned out for the Robins first PL meeting of the season on a night that was bright, sunny and warm, great 
weather for Speedway!! A gret match transpired after the 2 drubbings that the Robins fans had witnessed the previous two
meetings. For the Robins the plus point were Mark Steel dropping his only points due to an engine faliure and a successful
return to the Abbey for Robins guest Neil Collins, who was the only rider to lower Peter Carrs colours in heat 3 in what
was only narrowly short of Glenn Cunninghams fastest time of the season. 

Heat Details
1. Martin Dixon(66.95) Claus Kristensen, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott. 5-1, 5-1
Clausy and Mad Dog outgate the Monarchs duo to give Swindon the perfect start, Eriksson challenges for a short time but falls away. 
2. Mark Steel(67.14) Christian Henry, Ritchie Hawkins, Derek Sneddon. 4-2, 9-3
Christian outgates Steeler but he gets around him sharpish, Ritchie chases hard but gets no better than third. 
3. Neil Collins(66.64) Peter Carr, Alan Mogridge, Dalle Andersen. 4-2, 13-5
Carr gates but Collins flies around the outside on the 3rd/4th turns and holds a narrow lead for the remainder of the race, Moggo 
chases hard but cant pass Carr. 
4. Paul Fry(67.05) Jan Andersen, Ritchie Hawkins, Derek Sneddon. 4-2, 17-7
The Robins fly in to a 10 point lead as Fryer blasts from the gate and takes the race, Ritchie misses the gate but passes Sneddon 
on the back straight, but again can't make an impression on the second place man.
5. Neil Collins(67.77) Alan Mogridge, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott. 5-1, 22-8
Mogridge gates and is away, Collins fights with Eriksson for 3 laps but passes and Moggo shuts off near the line to let Corrie through
for the win.
6. Claus Kristensen(67.42) Martin Dixon, Jan Andersen, Christian Henry(fr) 5-1, 27-9
Kristnesen tapes to flag, Dixon passes Andersen then thats it. 
7. Peter Carr(67.95) Dallen Andersen, Mark Steel, Paul Fry. 1-5, 28-14
Fry has a blow out on the start line, Steel misses the gate and is chasing hard when his engine goes on turn two of lap 2, almost causing
him to fall, he contols the bike and it seems to kick into life again, so he flies around so as not to get lapped by Carr, before his bike
does the same this on the 2nd bend of lap 3, almost throwing him off, he potters round to complete the race in third to salvage the Robins
a point.
8. Peter Carr(66.64) Martin Dixon, Blair Scott, Ritchie Hawkins. 2-4, 30-18
Carr away, Dicko chasing Scott for 4 laps before passing him on 
9. Alan Mogridge(67.39) Jan Andersen, Neil Collins, Christian Henry. 4-2, 34-20
Moggo gates and moves off into the distance, Corrie comes off third and tries valiantly to pass Andersen but has no luck.
10. Peter Carr(67.34) Martin Dixon, Claus Kristensen, Dalle Andersen. 3-3, 37-23
Tapes to flag all four. Andersen chases hard to start with but can't pass Clausy.
11. Paul Fry(67.86) Mark Steel, Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott. 5-1, 42-24
Race of the evening and perhaps even the season, Fryer gates and is away, Steel comes off of gate 3 with Eriksson off of 4, Steel takes Eriksson wide
but Scott gets away, Steeler has the measure of Eriksson but the Edinburgh man stays close, Steel reels in Scott until on the third lap he is right 
behind him, and on the third bend tries to go underneath him but locks up and lets Eriksson though, he flies up the back straight and goes wide on 
turns 1/2 and catches some dirt, pulling alongside the Monarchs and going into turn 3 he has more speed and cuts across the pair to come out of turn 3
with a claer lead and crosses the finish line with the Swindon fans going absolutely mad, Fryer and Steeler do a lap of honour to rapturous applause!!   
12. Peter Carr(67.5) Neil Collins, Jan Andersen, Ritchie Hawkins. 2-4, 44-28
Not a suprising result, Corrie chased hard but made no real impression.
13. Paul Fry(68.45) Jan Andersen, Robert Eriksson, Claus Kristensen(ef). 3-3, 47-31
Bit of a messy gate, Fry comes off third but he is winning by lap 2, Clausy is just starting 2 mount a challenge from the back when his engine blows.
14. Mark Steel(69.59) Alan Mogridge, Dalle Andersen, Derek Sneddon. 5-1, 52-32
Steel gates and rides a staedy race for the win, Moggo ends up behind Andersen but it looks inevitable that he will pass and he duly does on lap 4.
15. Peter Carr(68.27) Paul Fry, Martin Dixon, Jan Andersen. 3-3, 55-35
Fryer leads Carr for 2 laps but Carr has more speed and it seems Fryer is worrying more about Carr passing than concentrating on his own race. Dixon easily
holds off an ultimately disappointing Andersen.

For the Robins rider of the night was Mark Steel and his pass of both Robert Eriksson and Blair Scott in heat 11 was exceptional, Ritchie Hawkins was better 
than his 2 points, Neil Collins enjoyed his return to Blunsdon with a nine point haul that included Peter Carrs only defeat in heat 3. Fryer, Moggo and Dicko 
were as reliable as usual. For Edinburgh had it not been for Carr then Swindon may well have hit 65-70 again, what is goin on?! Its not like we have a massive 
home track advantage in the way of Exeter is it? Its been said on many occasions that ours in one of the fairest tracks in the country so what the heck is goin on!!!!   

Final Score : Swindon 'Soft Water' Robins - 55 Edinburgh Monarchs - 35