PLYMOUTH’S topsy turvy season continues as they battled against all odds to win by six points at Edinburgh.
Having lost at home to Workington on Tuesday, the Gladiators were up against it again when guest James Pearson had to pull out near start time leaving them to track Monarchs’ National League reserve Mason Watson at number one.
But another superb performance from red-hot Dan Thompson inspired them to a 48-42 victory bringing Edinburgh crashing down to earth after the euphoria of last week's Superheat win at Glasgow.
To add to their woes number one Josh Pickering crashed out of the meeting with a shoulder injury, hitting the fence as he tried to go around Ben Barker and Joe Thompson in his second ride.
Edinburgh won both of his IRR rides but the meeting was really decided in the reserves’ berths where Jacob Hook and Joe Thompson outscored Connor Coles and Dayle Wood 13-5.
Kye Thomsen with 14+3 and Justin Sedgmen 12+1 battled to keep the home side in the match but with Barker unbeaten in his first three heats, Joe Thompson winning his first two and Dan Thompson producing a very impressive 13, Plymouth always seemed to have something in hand.
The Gladiators maintained the six point advantage gained when Pickering crashed out of heat six right through to heat 12, before the Monarchs’ pair of Thomson and Sedgmen took a 5-1 over Barker.
However, former Monarch Hook and Kyle Newman relegated Paco Castagna to third place, Dan Thompson’s heat 15 win the icing on the cake for the visitors.
A disappointed home team manager Alex Harkess said: “Their reserves were too strong for ours and we were always chasing our tail. Everyone was saying Plymouth were one of the weaker teams but it just goes to show.”
Edinburgh: Josh Pickering 3, Sam Hagon 5, Kye Thomson 14+3, Paco Castagna 5+1, Justin Sedgmen 12+1, Dayle Wood 0, Connor Coles 3.
Plymouth: Mason Watson 0, Alfie Bowtell 6+1, Dan Thompson 13, Kyle Newman 5+1, Ben Barker 9+1, Joe Thompson 8+2, Jacob Hook 7+2.
Words by George Dodds.
Images by Taylor Lanning.