Edinburgh Monarchs put Armadale woes to one side to get the better of the Birmingham Brummies

For what has been a difficult few days for everyone connected with the Edinburgh Monarchs, the riders on track delivered the perfect pick-me up.

The sun was shining, Armadale was packed to the rafters but, more pertinently, the Capital outfit got the better of the Birmingham Brummies 52-36 to deliver a third home victory in this season's Championship.

It really was a timely - and much welcome - boost following the news earlier this week that the club have been told to vacate their home track for the last 26 years by the landlords of the West Lothian venue.

Co-promoters Alex Harkess and John Campbell will fight tooth and nail to ensure the club continues beyond 2022 but, at this stage, it is unclear just where that will be.

Monarchs guest Greg Blair slides off his bike in heat two while Jacob Hook, red helmet, goes up the inside. Picture: Jack Cupido.

In truth, it wasn't the most aesthetically-pleasing meeting due to its stop-start nature. Monarchs No.2 Lasse Fredriksen was involved in a high-speed crash with Brummies reserve James Shanes, the latter losing control on the third bend of the first lap of heat six before ploughing into the side of the Norwegian. Fredriksen was taken off the track in an ambulance and withdrew from the meeting. And in heat eight there was further drama as Stefan Nielsen, Monarchs guest Greg Blair and Jacob Hook, all collided on the second bend of the opening lap. Despite a lengthy delay, all three fortunately walked away unscathed.

Josh Pickering produced the pass of the night to motor around the outside of ex-Monarch Justin Sedgmen to take a heat 11 win, but the visitors were proving difficult to shake off, the Monarchs just ahead 35-29 with four races remaining.

But the hosts stormed to a 5-1 in heat 13 from skipper Sam Masters and Pickering to secure all three points, a result that sees them move up to eighth in the Championship standings. Pickering was the star man as he went through the card unbeaten from his five rides to score a paid maximum.

For now, though, work will continue behind the scenes off the track to ensure the Monarchs return to the tapes in 2023.

Monarchs: Pickering 14, Masters 13, Hook 9, Castagna 7, Thomson 7, Fredriksen 2, Blair 0.

Brummies: Morris 12, Brennan 9, Sedgmen 7, Nielsen 4, Shanes 4, Pearson 0.