MildenhallFen Tigers v Edinburgh Monarchs

Everyone said we would win at Mildenhall, which is pressure of a sort, but we made no mistake with a record-equalling 30 point triumph.

Eight 5-1 heat advantages in the first 10 heats left no doubt as to who was going to some out on top, and it was only a small consolation for the Fen Tigers to take 3 of the last 5 race winners.

The Fen Tigers had added Michal Rajkowski to their side during the week and were looking a bit stronger, but the first two heats suggested we were well up to the task.

Andrew Tully was truly spectacular as he led heat 1, with William content to sit in second, and it did look likely to be a fast time. However we never found out because on lap three Gravesen reared up and lost control on the pits bend, causing new man Rajkowski to fall awkwardly. Fortunately he was OK.

Andrew raced away again in heat 2 with Aaron Summers backing up. At 10-2 perhaps it was all over already?

Well no, it wasn't. Laukkanen and Loof led the way in heat 3 and it looked from Ryan's riding and eventual retirement that he might not have sorted out his problems from the night before.

Matthew got stuck on the outside of the first corner in heat 4 as Kessler won from Aaron. Matthew couldn't pass Kyle Hughes and remarkably we were only 13-11 up now!

Have we ever recorded six 5-1s on a row away from home? Unlikely, but that was what we did over the next 6 heats. Heat 5 was one of the highlights; William passed Kaj Laukkanen down the back straight and after chasing for most of the race, Aaron brilliantly pulled off a similar move near the end of the race.

Heat 6 was more routine (Tully and Wethers) which prompted Fen Tigers to give fast gating Robbie Kessler a TR in heat 7.

He was battling with Derek Sneddon round the opening bends when Ryan Fisher appeared from nowhere to burst between them and go clear. Sneddon subdued Kessler and we had completely nullified the TR.

Summers and Sneddon took 5 in heat 8, then we had a long delay for track grading and an interval. This was perfectly acceptable on a very hot day and the one-man track preparation team seemed to know what he was doing.

There was a tumble on the first corner of heat 9 with Laukkanen hitting the boards as all four got to the bend together.

Kaj took a while to get up, and trailed at the back as Tully and Wethers took the score to 38-16.

Problems again in heat 10 when Gravesen took out Rajkowski on the first turn, and earned an exclusion. Derek and Ryan took 5 with some neat team riding though the Raj kept up a strong challenge.

Amazingly we didn't get a 5-1 in heat 11, as Robbie Kessler won it under pressure from Ryan. This heat was William's only defeat, in third spot.

Laukkanen gated in heat 12 but the heat was stopped when Makinen brought off Sneddon who was passing him on the outside. The ref had the best view and excluded Makinen, much to the annoyance of the home Barmy Army. At least they were still paying attention.

Kaj won the rerun from Andrew who gave a powerful chase, but dropped his first point.

William won heat 13 from Kessler, and it looked like Ryan was going to take a hard fought heat 14 as he cut through to lead down the back straight. However he still seemed to lack a bit of speed and was caught at the end of lap three by a good ride from Makinen.

William sliced past Kessler for a good heat 15 win, and Andrew also put on some pressure but had to settle for third.

A very good display by all the Monarchs, and a good enough meeting even though it was one-sided. As at Rye House, the home fans were welcoming and sporting.

MildenhallFen Tigers v Edinburgh Monarchs

After going down to a narrow defeat at Rye House, Monarchs turn their attentions towards Mildenhall with the aim of securing three vital Premier League points.

The Fen Tigers have had a somewhat torrid start to the season with changes a-plenty having been made already. No less than 10 riders have worn their colours this year and another, New Zealander Grant Tregoning, was originally pencilled in but missed out due to visa problems (nothing to do with overspending on the old credit card either!).

Yet another new signing, Newport and Belle Vue?s former Polish star Michal Rajkowski, will make his debut in this one and wouldn?t it be oh so typical if he were to hit the ground running and score a maximum?! The one consolation is that at least he won?t be riding at reserve, where he did most of his points scoring ?damage? down in South Wales in 2007.

Top man for the Fen men is ex-Monarchs? favourite Kaj Laukkanen, who joined in March after discovering he wouldn?t be racing in Poland this season. Obviously, a trip to West Row on a Sunday afternoon is preferable to sitting watching teletext and the Antiques Roadshow, and this will be the first time he has come face to face with his old team-mates since his winter departure from sunny Armadale.

Kaj?s not the only Finn in the line-up. Young starlet Jari Makinen rides at number 7, having been the beneficiary of a somewhat dubiously lowered (in my opinion anyway!) 5.00 starting average. Monarchs? fans may remember him as being the kid who arrived up our way with the billing of Finnish U21 Champion and left with his a broken wrist! Hopefully, he?ll be slightly more fortunate on track this time!

Another who had his assessed average reduced to the 5 point mark is Henning Loof. Having been tracked by a number of clubs, including the likes of Workington and Newcastle, he finally made it into UK speedway and, despite the fact 2008 has been a bit of a struggle to date, he shouldn?t be instantly written off.

As was the case with the Finns, the Fen Tigers also include 2 Germans. Loof?s compatriot Robbie Kessler has been around for so many years, he makes me feel young! However his experience, together with that of Laukkanen, will be invaluable in the Tigers? pit.

The remaining members of the home side are Jan Graversen, who I have to admit I know very little about (I know, I should do more background reading!) and Kyle Hughes, who stands in for the injured Mark Baseby. However, one more thing I can?t forget to mention is a huge Get Well Soon to Casper Wortmann, who is currently in recuperation following a reportedly horrific crash a few weeks ago ? chin up Mr Friendly Ghost man!

Confidence in the Monarchs? camp will be naturally high following a more than acceptable result at Rye House?s notoriously difficult Hoddesdon circuit and there is no reason why, with a little bit of luck, we shouldn?t be coming away with 3 points in the bag from this encounter.

Most of our riders will have their own little tales to tell about Mildenhall?s tiny little track. William Lawson, for example, said of his 2006 visit that it was the slickest race strip he?d ever ridden. That was the day when there was a seemingly never ending delay while we all waited on the First Aid crew in blazing sunshine. Thankfully there was plenty shade although, despite this, I was still forced into buying two bottles of water to ease my growing heat and thirst problems. Don?t get me wrong, they were most welcome but when I was told they were ?1 each, I very nearly fainted anyway!

Another who has experienced the extreme highs and lows of this super fast circuit is dependable Aussie Matthew Wethers. A Conference League visit in 2004 with the Dale Devils saw young Matthew air lifted to Hospital after a crash while, on a much brighter note, a top score of 16 during last season?s defeat was one of several double figure returns achieved in a largely personally successful campaign.

Derek Sneddon and Andrew Tully have ?had their moments? at Mildenhall, although both struggled for points last year, and Aaron Summers returns to another of the tracks he rode during his brief stay in 2007, which leaves Ryan Fisher who (again!) appears to be the only one who will be visiting the UK?s smallest PL venue for the first time. I?m sure he?ll enjoy it, seeing as certain US tracks are about the size of my living room although I?m sure his initial priority will be to ensure his fuel isn?t dodgy!

As always, may the best team win...

Likely line-ups:

Fen Tigers: Michal Rajkowski, Jan Graversen, Kaj Laukkanen, Henning Loof, Robbie Kessler, Kyle Hughes, Jari Makinen.

Monarchs: William Lawson, rider replacement for Thomas H Jonasson, Derek Sneddon, Ryan Fisher, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully, Aaron Summers.