Newcastle Diamonds v Edinburgh Monarchs

All summer we have been watching the Scotwaste Monarchs raising their performances to spectacular levels to win so many league matches, but this was not something they could manage in the second leg of the KO Cup Final.

We had won by 20 points at Rye House and 22 at King?s Lynn in this same competition. In all honesty, even though the loss of Andrew Tully was a great blow, the cup should have been there for the taking given the problems Newcastle had in the two legs with their number 6 position.

Adam Roynon crashed out last Friday, and Simon Lambert withdrew on Sunday due to the effects of a crash the night before in the NLRC. That left Derek Sneddon and Adam McKinna only as backup to their powerful top three, and opened the door for our more solid team.

We couldn?t take the chance though, and it was an opportunity lost. Heats 3 and 4 were the ones which cost us, and we never regained the ground we lost there.

The track seemed to be dry but quite rideable, with the outside line being the faster one, as Kenni Larsen opened the meeting with a win followed home by Ryan Fisher and William Lawson, who passed Derek Sneddon.

William then won heat two though Ashley Morris lost out in the battle for third as McKinna came through and eventually finished second. Lambert did not look impressive.

So far so good but heat 3 went all wrong as both Wolbert and Katajisto toiled and were passed by Sneddon, behind race winner Bach. We certainly had been looking for Kevin to carry the fight to the opposition but he looked slow and tentative.

Stuart Robson, who rather displayed the gap which still exists between Elite and Premier Leagues, swept to a win in heat 4 which we looked like sharing, till Matthew slowed up so badly that he was passed by Adam McKinna. It had only taken four heats to lose the lead.

Heat 5 saw a Newcastle heat leader beaten at last with Ryan Fisher riding as good a heat as he has at this track to beat Bach. However disappointingly William Lawson, who had looked reasonably impressive in scoring paid 7 from 3 rides, finished at the back behind Derek Sneddon. In hindsight, we had already lost the points which were to cost us the KO Cup.

Ashley Morris slipped past Lambert during heat 6, a good point, though Lambert then pulled out of both the race and the meeting.

Robson won heats 7 and 8, with Newcastle fielding only one rider in heat 8, and we were still just one down looking to regain lost ground. Bach won heat 9 and this time Wethers and Lawson pushed Sneddon to the back.

We saw the best of Kalle in heat 10 as he hit the front and never allowed Larsen a chance to catch him. Wolbert briefly held second but at least we had an advantage and were back in front again on aggregate.

Newcastle reversed that again as Robson beat Fisher with McKinna ahead of Morris in heat 11.

We had been eying heat 12 and fancying a 5-1 which would have been a big help, but it was Derek Sneddon who took the lead. Deek can still gate, and it took Wolbert a couple of laps to pass him. By then it was too late for Lawson to follow suit, but at least the 4-2 had us a point up again.

The problem was we now hit heat 13, always a likely tough one for us. Ryan tried hard to move Stuart Robson off his line but he couldn?t do it, and the Diamonds too a 5-1.

Heat 14 was inevitably a win for Bach from Katajisto and Lawson, and that left us needing a 5-1 from the last race to snatch an unlikely aggregate victory. We had left it too late.

It was Fisher and Katajisto up against Larsen and Bach. Ryan was off gate one and made an excellent start, but Kalle was at the back. Ryan did remarkably well because he lost his steel shoe and had to wave his foot above ground to keep his balance, but he completed the four laps in front. However Newcastle had the cup.

A three point margin was frustrating and there were so many chances over the two legs to have reversed such a small margin. But it?s history now and we have now been beaten finalists four times in the competition, against three times victorious.

Newcastle Diamonds v Edinburgh Monarchs

It's a testament to how brilliant the 2010 Monarchs have been that their last match together on the very last day of the speedway season, weather permitting, is a KO Cup Final second leg tie at Newcastle (6.30) with the result on a knife edge.

Monarchs hold a slender 5-point lead after a night of difficult conditions for racing and spectating on Friday at Armadale. But remember this is the team who have already won at virtually every away track this season, an almost unprecedented achievement.

This time however, they will start with one hand effectively tied behind their backs due to the injury absence of long-time third heat leader, Andrew Tully who would have made a big impact over the two legs. Kalle Katajisto and the reserves will do well to cover for Andy's scoring power.

On the other hand it could be said that Newcastle's scoring power will be largely unaffected by their terrible run of injuries, particularly since they are much more reliant on their three heat leaders and have been able to employ excellent guests for the unfortunate Mark Lemon.

On Friday it was Scunthorpe's David Howe who looked as though he had been fed on a diet of raw meat. As others struggled to adapt to the testing conditions, David was absolutely flying in the early part of the meeting to the extent that even the track record looked in danger

Howe is not eligible to cover today but in comes Stuart Robson from Elite League Lakeside who has battled back from devastating injury himself. Stuart is not only a formidable rider at this level, but he hails from Sunderland and will want to do well in front of the local fans.

Diamonds will again operate rider replacement for Jason King at No.2, which could produce more than the four points it brought at Armadale. And home favourite Dakota North is replaced by Sheffield's Simon Lambert who has enjoyed a new lease of life since being dropped by King's Lynn.

So once again Newcastle will have a very strong spearhead in Kenni Larsen, Rene Bach and Stuart Robson who will have to be matched by Monarchs equally impressive heat leader trio of American Ryan Fisher, German Kevin Wolbert and Australian Matthew Wethers.

Derek Sneddon largely had a night to forget on Friday and was well eclipsed in the scoring stakes by Kalle Katajisto who really came into his own during the tremendous Monarchs comeback. Not always fast out of the traps, 'Super' Kalle will have to be at his sharpest today.

With their top order having some troubles in the first leg, Monarchs enjoyed a big advantage at reserve over Adam McKinna and the unfortunate guest Adam Roynon who pulled out of the meeting with a knee injury after laying his bike down awkwardly to avoid the fallen William Lawson.

That was one of the few blemishes on an otherwise outstanding night for William who was named Monarch of the match for his efforts. He has ridden more than most at Brough Park and Monarchs' travelling support will hope he replicates Friday's speed and determination.

Monarchs do not expect a lot from young Ashley Morris who continues to ride steadily and with obvious intelligence and an eye for an opening. He is still on a steep learning curve and participation in a Cup Final will stand him in good stead for a very promising future.

Newcastle will definitely think they are favourites to take the trophy but these are easily the best two sides in the Premier League this year. But that means the pressure will be on the Diamonds and they will remember the previous time they were unexpectedly overwhelmed by the Monarchs.

Both teams will have to be completely dismantled for next year so two sets of riders will be looking to impress their fans for what could be one last time. If only Andrew Tully were fit ? but William Lawson at his best could be a match winner if Monarchs can keep the scores close.

Likely line-ups:

NEWCASTLE SAPPHIRE ENGINEERING DIAMONDS: Kenni Larsen, rider replacement for Jason King, Derek Sneddon (capt.), Rene Bach, Stuart Robson (guest), Simon Lambert (guest), Adam McKinna.

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, rider replacement for Andrew Tully, Kevin Wolbert, Kalle Katajisto, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Ashley Morris, William Lawson.