Craig Cook was a key man again Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

FIGHTBACK EARNS A DRAW

NEWS Friday 23rd September 2011, 11:48pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs fought back from a 12-point deficit to earn a perhaps fortunate draw against the very lively Somerset Rebels tonight.

Alex Harkess said ?Full marks to Somerset, excellent choice of guests and much better gating got them a reward they deserved.?

The visitors had tremendous guests in Derek Sneddon and Ashley Birks, and the superior gating of the Rebels earned them a 12-point advantage by heat 8, even though Monarchs had used Matthew Wethers as a TR as early as heat 5.

Sneddon even bounced back from a bad crash when Andrew Tully ran into him in heat 3 (Derek wrecked a bike), while young Birks again showed what a superb prospect he is.

Monarchs could have used a second TR in heat 9 but gambled on delaying it, which backfired as they gained an advantage in that heat and never had another opportunity.

However they chipped away at the lead and stood 8 points behind with three races remaining. A powerful first corner in heat 13 gave home stars Kevin Wolbert and Craig Cook the advantage and a 5-1 result, making heat 14 crucial.

It looked as if the Rebels would clinch their win as Alex Davies and Ashley Birks led the way, but Matthew Wethers fell trying to pass them at the third corner. Surely that was that?

But amazingly Kyle Howarth, who had done very little to that point, jumped out the start and rode four excellent laps on the wide line to share the race.

This gave the opportunity Wolbert and Cook needed, and they made no mistake in leading home Derek Sneddon and James Wright for a 5-1 to salvage a draw.

Overall, it was not a good performance by Monarchs. They were outgated regularly throughout the evening and on a track yet again affected by rain, it was not easy to recover.

At least they never gave up and grabbed their reward at the end. Somerset deserved to win but were probably not unhappy with the draw. After a patchy performance Edinburgh showed their fighting spirit and also gained some reward.