MATCH REPORT: Monarchs regin over

Birmingham lost their unbeaten run at Ashmore Park on Sunday to a very resilient Wednesfield Dragons side.

The home side took the first advantage in the third after two drawn heats, Millward beaten up by both Dragons during the race to lose the lead.

A further Dragons advantage in the fourth saw them go 6 up, however a 6-3 was replied in the fifth with Johnson a comfortable winner.

Winwood and Groves were on the receiving end of a 6-4 in the sixth before the Monarchs drew to within a point in the 8th – Johnson up front with Chris Timms doing all the hard work in second for a maximum advantage, bringing the scores to 40-39.

The Dragons held their nerve in the second half keeping the Monarchs at bay, and a 5 point security cushion until the tide started to turn in favour of the visitors.

A maximum in heat 14 was followed by a 6-4 in heat 15, with Paul Timms grabbing 3rd place on the last bend – that heat advantage giving the league leaders the lead for the first time in the match.

Heat 17, however, didn’t go to plan, as Winwood lost the lead after a lap and all the efforts of Timms senior couldn’t find a way through to give the Dragons a last race one point advantage.

The final race had everything riding on it for both sides and as expected the action was boiling hot.

Millward was denied the win despite plenty of effort, whilst newcomer Zak Lakin put himself in the mix however earned an exclusion for giving the Dragons rider no room to race.

The win was certainly well earned by the home side with excellent performances from youngsters Haydn Rowley and Carl Parfitt.

Not forgetting the contribution of legendary veteran Mick Aris, out of retirement to help the Dragons out with two vital third places over his former Eurovet rival proving the difference in the end.

For the Monarchs, no one rider was in excellent form, although Johnson raced to four wins. However the evergreen Paul Timms won’t have worked any harder for 6 points and the battling efforts of new recruit Lakin didn’t go unnoticed.

WEDNESFIELD DRAGONS 91
CHRIS JEWKES 19, ALEX ARIS 1, HAYDN ROWLEY 15, HARRY EVERISS 8 BRANDON WHETTON 19, KARL PARFITT 13+3, MICK ARIS 6, TOM HADDOCK 10+1

BIRMINGHAM MONARCHS 87
CHRIS TIMMS 15+2, ZACK LAKIN 6, MARK WINWOOD 14+1, NATHAN GROVES 12+1, SCOTT MILLWARD 15+1, PAUL TIMMS 6, STEVE HODGKINSON 2, RICKI JOHNSON 17