Kings Lynn Stars v Edinburgh Monarchs

King?s Lynn?s big crowd celebrated their success, and we were left with the thought that it could have been different for us.

We were unlucky in the first leg, but we arrived at the Norfolk Arena knowing what he had to do and came up short. The Stars? celebrations were such that they obviously felt beating us was a big achievement.

Losing five 5-1s in the first 8 heats was obviously a recipe for disaster, and our improvement in the latter stages came too late.

As in the league visit, Ryan Fisher started by leading Darcy Ward all the way. The Stars shared it, and then went on a points spree.

We offered little resistance in heat 2, and in the next one Schramm gated while Sanchez passed both our riders, a disappointing start for Andrew Tully and Matthew Wethers.

Kevin Wolbert was well in the hunt in heat 4 but Topinka and the very influential Swede Eklof team rode well for their third 5-1. Already our aggregate advantage was down to 1 point.

Fisher was on a TR already by heat 5, and although Schramm gated he got himself into a mess on the second bend as Ryan cut back and went through for the 6 points. Rajkowski was in second for a couple of laps but he looked uncomfortable and could not hold off Sanchez or Schramm, eventually falling.

Great stuff in the next one as well as Kevin showed what he had learnt in his first outing to sweep to the front and hand Ward another defeat. The young Aussie doesn?t like losing, which is fair enough, but he does need to learn to acknowledge the opposition post-race.

Unfortunately we needed Andrew and Matthew to step up now, and it didn?t happen as Eklof was away again shielded by Topinka.

The Raj gated in heat 8 but again the home riders went by and he dropped to the rear. We were now behind on aggregate and 34-17 down on the night.

It was TR time again and Wolbert responded superbly, moving wide on the first turn and blasting ahead down the straight.

Just one point down, but for the third time our normally excellent Tully/Wethers duo was swept aside as they conceded their third 5-1 of the night.

Five down with both TRs gone ? it looked hopeless. But we then had a glimpse of what could have been.

Topinka became the first man to beat Fisher in heat 11, but Rajkowski had a steadier ride and helped Ryan to share the heat ahead of Graversen.

We then saw Tully at last show his true form as he hit the front and romped away from Sanchez in a quick time.

After a lengthy interval it was in to a very strong heat 13. Ward was now really shifting and he went ahead, but Fisher was strong on the first bend and didn?t let Topinka join him. This allowed Wolbert to cut back and drive into second with a bold move which allowed us to share the race.

Now it was Matthew?s turn to come alive as he barged his way inside Sanchez and Eklof on the first lap of heat 14 for a good win. Had Aaron Summers managed to gain anything we would have kept the tie alive, but Aaron was the major disappointment on the night.

Stars needed only a point from the last one so it was all over. This was a terrific heat with Ryan leading all the way hounded by Ward, who eventually took a great win by cutting under the American coming out of the last corner.

We could only feel frustrated we hadn?t had a bigger lead as we should have had, and that Wethers and Tully didn?t get going earlier, and that Summers didn?t do anything on a track he has previously liked?

First blood to King?s Lynn in what could still be a treble of trophy clashes.