Monarchs will bounce back against Redcar, vows John Campbell

Monarchs currently sit bottom of the table. Pic: Ron MacNeill

Campbell was disappointed by Monarchs’ display, with top two Captain Erik Riss and No.1 Ricky Wells managing just 13 points between them.

Collectively the team managed just four heat wins during the match, a failing that has bedevilled Monarchs all season.

Campbell said: “Our top riders did not score so we had no chance of winning. Scunthorpe had two superstars as guest riders, but at the end of the day Erik and Ricky should have been capable of beating these guys but we got nowhere close.”

Monarchs were under pressure when they lost a 5-1 in the opening race and Campbell reflected: “Our team made an awful start in the first few races then we got better after that.

“In the end, though, we were beaten by a far better team. We have to regroup this evening and do better against the Bears.”

This is a basement battle with Redcar, a place above Monarchs, whose hopes of reaching the play-offs are receding with every match.

But Campbell has grounds for optimism based on Monarchs’ display in the Championship Fours at the same track last week.

Said Campbell: “Erik scored a maximum in the Fours compared to the five points he got at Scunthorpe. If he can get close to that again and I’m sure Ricky will get close to that as well, then I’m sure we have a chance of victory.

“And Josh Pickering is going well at the moment, so there is hope.”

Pickering picked up eights points in Monarchs’ 53-37 defeat to the Scorpions and said: “It was a good meeting for me personally, but a frustrating one for the team.

“No offence to Scunthorpe but they were not exceptional. However we let them off the hook – it’s annoying that we are not all firing at once.

“Erik and Ricky have been amazing all season and we have not backed them up.

“Yet at Scunthorpe the rest of us did okay and they were off a little. That’s speedway, I guess, and we will do our best tonight to get a result.”