Edinburgh Monarchs powered to a final heat success to grab a narrow two-point victory to take to Poole Pirates for the second-leg of the BSN Series semi-final on Wednesday, June 10.

The 5-1 race win earned the home side a narrow 46-44 victory and that was the only time the home side led in a tense match at Armadale.

Indeed, Monarchs bounced back from a six-point deficit and showed great resilience.

Justin Sedgmen (pictured) and Kye Thomson were the last heat heroes, with Aussie-born Sedgmen just making the start and Kye sweeping around everyone after being at the back out of the second bend.

There seemed precious little room with Sedgmen already on the wide line, but Thomson managed to get round the Poole pair and squeeze inside his partner in a barnstorming ride.

Reserve Mitch Cluff was voted Monarch of the Match for the second match running after accumulating eight points and winning Heat 14, and yet he nearly didn’t make the match.

Cluff woke up on Thursday with flu and couldn’t breathe, had a sore throat and admitted he didn’t want to be at Armadale, but got on with the job.

Edinburgh Monarchs: Chris Harris 5+1, Jonatan Grahn 9+0, Justin Sedgmen 12+0, Paco Castagna 2+1, Kye Thomson 8+1, Mitch Cluff 8+0, Jordy Loftus 2+1
Poole Pirates: Richard Lawson 9+1, Tate Zischke 4+1, Lewis Kerr 8+0, Kyle Newman 5+0, Zach Cook 11+1, William Cairns 5+1, Cooper Rushen 2+0

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