Monarchs rule against Bears - but bonus point pleases boss

IT WAS yet another case of what might have been as a weakened Redcar went down narrowly at Edinburgh

- writes KEITH MCGHIE.

However, co-promoter Jamie Swales was keen to emphasise the importance of returning to Teesside with the bonus point having at one stage trailed on aggregate.

Without currently ill Erik Riss - a former Monarchs rider and acknowledged track specialist - and with Jake Mulford racing abroad, plus Jason Edwards returning after almost five weeks out with a damaged shoulder, the Agilia Bears hoped to find a weak enough link in the home lineup to secure a third successive win at Armadale.

But while the visitors managed to close with 5-1s in heats 13 and, for the third consecutive visit, 15, all it did was secure the bonus point - something which also seemed to be slipping away, having seen a 50-40 ECCO Arena advantage slide into a two-point overall deficit with just three races remaining.