Stellar Monarchs bosses admitted that several riders failed to deliver in the 54-34 defeat at Plymouth Gladiators in the Cab Direct Championship.
A club spokesman said the final score only tells half the story as a 2hr 40min meeting saw stoppages and re-runs galore.
John Campbell, Monarchs’ manager, groaned: “I came here believing we had a very good chance of the win and the bonus point and to be so heavily beaten simply isn’t good enough.
“The track at the start of the meeting is unsettling, the lack of starting gates is unsettling, but we actually started OK, then the way we were brushed aside was embarrassing.
“Without Josh (Pickering) and, just behind him, Lasse (Fredriksen), it would have been even more embarrassing.”
He added: “You don’t want to criticise tracks as a bad night can happen to anyone. The same with the starting gates, that can happen anywhere.
“We can’t control any of that. What we can control is our own performance and that’s what needs looked at.”
The wheels came off at the mid-point in the meeting as Gladiators powered to three maximum advantages. For the record, Monarchs visit Poole Pirates on Wednesday night.
PICTURE: Lasse Fredriksen courtesy of Stellar Monarchs
Plymouth Gladiators (54): Nico Covatti 11+0, Alfie Bowtell 5+1, Dan Thompson 11+1, Kyle Newman 7+3, Ben Barker 6+1, Joe Thompson 8+0, Jacob Hook 6+2
Edinburgh Monarchs (34): Josh Pickering 14+0, Kye Thomson 0+0, Lasse Fredriksen 9+1, Paco Castagna 4+0, Justin Sedgmen 5+0, Max James 2+0, Connor Coles 0+0
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