The Scottish Cup really caught the supporters imagination and gave the season a boost, something promoters Redmond and Hoskins were aware of. They instinctively realised that a Tigers home win was needed for supporters to travel through to Edinburgh the following night. Possibly this explains why Hoskins chose to track Kenny Cameron rather than booking a guest which they did for the second leg when Dave Younghusband rode for them.

August 14   Tigers  52   Monarchs   43   (Scottish Cup)

Trevor Redmond’s programme notes reckoned that Tigers would need a ten point lead to take to Old Meadowbank the following night. With Monarchs injury jinx biting deeply, Monarchs gave Kenny Cameron a rare outing. However the White City track failed to suit his leg trailing approach, but it gave younger fans the opportunity to see a style from years gone by.

On an overcast night an excellent crowd turned out and, for once, Tigers made a good start against the Monarchs. They led by six points after four races. However three successive 4-2 for the Monarchs levelled the scores after heat seven. Tigers won the next five heats, including a 5-0 from Bill McMillan and Bruce Ovenden against Bert Harkins and Kenny Cameron both of whom fell. With four heats remaining Tigers now had a healthy thirteen point lead but Edinburgh supplied all the heat winners for the remaining races, including a 5-1 in heat thirteen when Charlie Monk fell while challenging George Hunter. The final score was 52-43, a nine point lead. Will it be enough?

Maury Mattingley top scored with twelve and Trevor Redmond weighed in with eleven paid thirteen while a somewhat subdued Charlie Monk got ten. Chris Julians continued his comeback with a useful six paid seven.

George Hunter was Edinburgh’s top scorer with fourteen, suffering his only defeat from Maury Mattingly. The Templeton brothers each scored eleven, with Doug falling when racing Charlie Monk. Happily he just returned to the pits and there was no repeat of the scenes from the previous week in Edinburgh. Monarchs provided nine of the sixteen heat winners and with a bit more support for their three heat leaders could have repeated their earlier Provincial League success.

Tigers Scorers

Mattingly 12; Redmond 11; Monk 10; Julian 6; McMillan 5; Ovenden 5; Coombes 3:

Monarchs Scorers

Hunter 14; W Templeton 11; D Templeton 11; Tannock 4; Torpie 2; Harkins 1; Cameron 0:

If a guest had been used it seems likely Edinburgh would have won in Glasgow.

August 15    Edinburgh   53     Tigers  43   (Scottish Cup)

Before the meeting Charlie Monk retained his Scottish Match race championship by beating George Hunter by two legs to one. Having beaten both Hunter and Doug Templeton, it now looked as though Edinburgh had run out of challengers and indeed no further challenges were staged

Monarchs had gained PLPA agreement to sign Dave Younghusband on temporary loan after Wayne Briggs, Alf Wells and Bill Landels were ruled out for the season. Maury Mattingley and Trevor Redmond continued their fine form from the night before and scored thirteen and fourteen respectively.

The meeting built to an exciting climax with Edinburgh leading by ten points on the night, and by one point on aggregate with two races to go. The unbeaten Trevor Redmond faced Kevin Torpie and Bert Harkins in what seemed to be his easiest race of the evening. However both Monarchs flew from the gate and, while Redmond managed to pick off Harkins, he left himself with too much ground to make up on Torpie and just failed to catch him on the line. He was quite inconsolable in the pits but, with Edinburgh leading by three points on aggregate, a 5-1 from Charlie Monk and Maury Mattingly over Dave Younghusband and George Hunter would still take the cup to Glasgow. However Hunter managed to split the Tigers, despite a desperate last lap attempt by Charlie Monk to pass him.

The cup went to Edinburgh by just one point on aggregate. Trevor Redmond was right – Tigers did need a ten-point lead! Incidentally, Tigers provided nine of the sixteen heat winners, just as Edinburgh had done at the White City, which proved there was no real home advantage at either track!

Tigers Scorers

Redmond 14; Mattingley 13; Monk 11; Ovenden 2; Coombes 1; Julian 1; McMillan 1:

Moanrchs Scorers

Hunter 13; D Templeton 8; Younghusband 8; Torpie 8; W Templeton 7; Tannock 6; Harkins 3: