Speedway star blasts referee's verdict pathetic as Capital side forced to settle for a draw
Edinburgh Monarchs' Kye Thomson has labelled referee Graham Hunter's decision to exclude team-mate Dan Thompson "pathetic".
The Monarchs were held to a 45-45 draw by visitors the Scunthorpe Scorpions in what proved to be a nip and tuck clash at Armadale.
The big talking point arrived in heat six when Thompson, who has recently returned to the saddle after breaking his collarbone, was adjudged to have cut across Scunthorpe reserve Dayle Wood on the second bend of the first lap, causing the Australian to fall to the shale.
Thompson's exclusion came as a complete shock to everyone in the stadium with Wood appearing to fall on his own accord.
The hosts had got off to the worst possible start with the concession of two 5-1s, ex-Monarch Josh Pickering taking the first chequered flag of the evening,
A rain shower then delayed proceedings for 10 minutes before Monarchs produced a 5-1 of their own to drag themselves back to within four points of the Scorpions.
They then led the match for the first time following another 5-1 in heat 10, however, a 4-2 in favour of Scunthorpe ensured it was all square in the next heat.
And when Pickering and Michael Palm Toft made the gate in the final race, Monarchs were staring at their first home defeat in the Championship this season. But superb guest Nick Morris, replacing injured skipper Paco Castagna, found his way into second, and then kept the hard-charging Palm Toft at bay, which allowed Thomson to nip up the inside of the Dane on bend one of the final lap to earn a share of the spoils.
Morris top scored with 14 from his six outings, but Monarchs reserves Jordy Loftus and Mitch Cluff managed just one between them.
"It's a funny one," Thomson said afterwards. "Midway through the meeting we came back and when I looked at the score to see we were level at heat 14, I thought we would have been a lot further ahead. It's a shame. Conditions with the rain, it was quite slick and Scunthorpe are the gurus of slick tracks, so it did make it difficult. We tried as hard as we could. Dan was very hard done by and that's probably the worst call I've ever seen in my time in speedway. It's pretty pathetic really.
"We've got Dan back now, I know we're missing Paco but we had a good guest in Nick, who did an awesome job, he always does. Some of the boys have got a few issues and Dan is still trying to get back to full fitness as he's not 100 per cent. We'll all get our mojo back soon and kick on."