A MAGNIFICENT seven-ride 21-point maximum from reserve star Andrew Tully helped propel Edinburgh Scotwaste Monarchs to a crushing 67-23 Premier League speedway victory over the Isle of Wight Islanders at Armadale.
Superlatives have been exhausted in recent weeks to describe Tully's performances as the Bathgate flier is quite simply the best and most prolific tail-ender in the country.
Although he could have been content to stick with his 18-point full house
from six outings, he had no hesitation in volunteering to come out in the heat 15 top scorers race with partner Ryan Fisher.
Islanders ace Jason Bunyan, who won the opening heat against Fisher and guest Tomas Topinka, had the ability to shatter Tully's dream and made a half-decent gate but Tully quickly seized control and Fisher showed some self restraint to keep Bunyan at bay and allow Tully to cross the line in style.
Tully's clenched fist as he took the chequered flag underlined just how much this maximum milestone meant to him.
After receiving the customary celebratory bumps from his teammates, Tully said: "I feel very happy. You need a bit of luck to score a 21-point maximum with nothing going wrong and nothing did go wrong for me."
Unaware that Monarchs had chalked up such a mammoth score, Tully added that the match certainly didn't appear to be that easy.
"I honestly had no idea we had scored 67 points. But everybody is just enjoying their speedway. We are all having fun and Tomas was an excellent replacement for William (Lawson). had no hesitation about going out in the last race. And Jason did make a good start. But Ryan and me made the first bend work for us and Ryan shepherded me home, which was good of him!"
Asked if he thinks any visiting side will conquer Monarchs at home this year, Tully added: "We don't think about anything like that. We don't think about anything bad. If we end up at the top of the league at the end of the season, fair and well, it's what we are aiming for."
The Islanders are not a bad outfit by any means but they were left totally marooned by the scoring might of their hosts.
Monarchs only led 19-11 after five races but a run of six 5-1 advantages in a row put the capital side on easy street.
But Bunyan, who couldn't add to his first race win and finished on eight points, promised it will be a different story when Monarchs visit Smalbrook Stadium next month.
He said: "This was a whipping right from the start. Monarchs are so dialled into their own track in much the same way as we are round our place.
"Coming from such a big track to a small circuit like Armadale, all we can really do is try our best. The first couple of heats we did okay because the track had a bit of dirt on it. But, after it became slick, we struggled. Edinburgh pulled away.
"I was pleased to win the first race. I didn't get the best of starts but there was a gap on the inside and you don't have to be asked twice under the circumstances.
"Overall it was a pretty average night for me. But we are looking forward to the return match. We'll make the track as different as it can possibly be. It will be over watered and a foot deep! We need every advantage we can get.
"But, give them their due, Edinburgh have got a cracking side and, realistically, Edinburgh would need two of their top guys to get injured in the first race for any visiting side to have a chance of taking the points-and nobody wants that."
Tully may have been Monarchs showstopper but was ably supported by Fisher, who amassed 14 points from his six starts. Fisher was beaten just once by Bunyan. However The Monarchs heat leader scared the living daylights out of Islanders' Aussie ace Corey Gathercole when he thundered underneath him to snatch second place behind Aaron Summers for a 5-1 in heat eight.
Surprisingly given the points feast they gorged on, Tully was the only Monarch to record a maximum.
Matthew Wethers, for instance, might have been a candidate to go through the match unbeaten but dropped points to Bunyan when he was relegated to third place in heat 13.
And skipper Derek Sneddon, who has spent needless time this week denying a bust-up with Fisher, managed a couple of wins. But the Falkirk rider, trying to ride through a current bad patch, doesn't look awfully assured round his home track right now and must look on slightly enviously at the way Tully, who didn't start off the season too impressively, has turned things around.
Monarchs: Tully 21, Fisher 14, Wethers 10, Sneddon 8, Topinka 8, Summers 6.
Isle of Wight: Bunyan 8, Holder 5, Bargh 4, Gathercole 2, Philips 2, Stojanowski 2.
The full article contains 841 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
