Edinburgh Monarchs v Rye House Rockets

REPORT Friday 30th July 2010, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

We knew Rye House could be a threat, and so it proved as too many points were thrown away, and the Rockets grabbed a last heat 5-1 to take a match point.

Considering Monarchs led by 10 points after three heats, and by 14 after heat 8, this was a bit disappointing for the home side, though Rye House must take credit with Sundstrom and Hampton absolutely outstanding. Only Ryan Fisher was able to stand up to that duo.

He opened with a fierce pass on Sundstrom coming out of the second bend in the first race. He cut it so fine that Matthew Wethers took advantage and also passed on the next bend.

Guest Josef Franc won heat 2 easily, with a good battle for second between Bugeja and Branney, Rockets? stand-in for Kessler.

Chris Neath was a late arrival and didn?t ride in heat 3, and easy 5-1 for the Wolbert/Wethers pair.

We should have shared heat 4, but Andrew Tully made a poor entry to the road bend on lap two and went straight into the fence.

Frampton had been leading, and made no mistake in the rerun, looking fast.

Sundstrom was back on song in heat 5, though Wolbert did give him a good chase.

Heat 6 was an absolute cracker, with Frampton again powering to the front chased by Fisher. On the final lap the American went for an outside pass and pulled it off brilliantly.

Tully won heat 7 easily and came in as rider replacement to heat 8, winning that as well. Josef Franc backed him to a 5-1 in the latter race and now we were 31-17 ahead.

Frampton took a TR in heat 9 but the race was stopped as Starke and Wethers tangled up on the first bend, Matthew being dragged off his bike as the visiting youngster headed into the fence.

In the rerun, Wolbert didn?t leave the start, leaving Frampton to take 6 points with ease from Wethers. The lead was back down to 10 points.

By giving Arlo a rider replacement ride in heat 10 we avoided the likelihood of Sundstrom getting a TR in the next race. Fisher won heat 10, but heat 11 went wrong anyway as Tully took another of those frustrating first bend tumbles.

In the rerun, Franc rather feebly allowed himself to be pushed wide on the first bend and he couldn?t find a way past Hughes as the Rockets recorded a 5-1.

Chris Neath pushed past Wolbert on the first bend of heat 12, and all we could do was share that one leaving us just six points up going in to a very tough heat 13.

This was a terrific ride by Ryan Fisher, edging ahead on the first turn and withstanding a powerful passing attempt by Frampton on the pits bend. He had to ride hard and fast throughout to keep the Rockets? aces off his back.

That gave us the chance to capitalise in an easier heat 14, and Wethers and Franc duly delivered a 5-1.

So Rye House needed a last heat 5-1 to take a match point. They won the toss and took 2 and 4, and made the start. Fisher locked up badly on the first corner and was out of it, and although Wethers did get close to Frampton at one point, he couldn?t pass and the Rockets had their point.