Rye House Rockets v Edinburgh Monarchs

Last year at Rye House we tore into an early lead before losing out over the last few heats. This year it was pretty much the other way round.

In fact we were very poor indeed over the early stages, though Andrew Tully was very unlucky to lose a chain in an exciting heat 3. Andrew was consistently good and the only other impressive riding in the early heats for us was from Matthew Wethers, winner of heat 4.

We definitely improved over the last six heats but by then it was too late to have a realistic hope of taking anything.

Rockets gated in heat 1 but Ryan Fisher dived under Chris Neath into second going into turn 3. Ryan locked up and lost position again, and lost control completed on the next turn, going through the second bend fence.

In the rerun Aaron Summers did well to cut under Neath and take second.

Rockets do have strong reserves and they took 5 points from heat 2.

Heat 3 was a remarkable race. Michal Rajkowski gated, and a great move by Andrew Tully took him into second. However Luke Bowen foiled that with a bold drive between our pair and into the lead.

Regrettably Andrew then shed a chain, and on the last corner the Raj was caught by Sundstrom.

That made it 14-4 and mercifully Matthew Wethers then won heat 4 from the gate. Sean headed Robert Mear for a bit but lost out eventually.

Heat 5 was an easy home 5-1 with Fisher disappointing, and in the next Luke Bowen impressed again beating a hard riding Wethers. For the second time Sean held third, over Neath, but finished up well back.

Andrew Tully took our first TR in heat 7 but missed the start. He worked hard to pass Allen for four points, a shared race.

Bowen was away again in heat 8 and we were fortunate that a Silver engine failure allowed us another shared heat.

Matthew took a TR in heat 9 but in spite of a heroic chase he finished behind Sundstrom and Mear, and we were now trailing 18-38 with the prospect of a heavy defeat.

From that point things got better. Gating of course was such a key and from gate 1, Andrew was away well with Michal joining him. The unbeaten Luke Bowen was chasing but didn?t make a lot of impression, and finally trying to ride wide on the pits bend, he went over the camber and dropped behind the toiling Neath.

Wethers and Mear had a good battle in heat 11 before the home man took the win, with Fisher a bit back in third not looking happy.

The Raj kept up the good work of heat 10 with a fast gate to win heat 12, but Aaron Summers trailed in well back.

Off gate 1 Fisher at last made a start in heat 13, but on the first turn with Matthew and Robert Mear pushing each other, Matthew came down. It looked like an all-4 but it was our man who was ruled out.

Thankfully Ryan made the start again and won the rerun, or he would have been fizzing!

The impressive Sundstrom took heat 14 with Andrew trying and failing to pass Tommy Allen. Nevertheless Andrew was given a heat 15 ride, and with Matthew they managed to share the final race behind Mear, keeping Sundstrom at the rear.

Some good moments, but over the piece a disappointing night.

Rye House Rockets v Edinburgh Monarchs

We head for Rye House on Saturday, and Rockets fans tell us we have a chance as their team is not going well.

That may be so, though perhaps Monarchs fans would say something similar about their team with no-one quite at their best.

Rockets will have Robert Mear back in harness after a successful practise but of course will still operate rider replacement for Joe Haines. Monarchs of course continue to use the facility for Thomas Jonasson.

We gave one of our best displays of 2008 at Hoddesdon before losing out, so it would be good to think we can get somewhere near that standard.

Rye have taken all three points in their 5 home league matches so far, and only dropped a single point at home in the Premier Trophy to King?s Lynn (49-44).

They don?t have a single top man but all of their riders are good on their home circuit. The reserve pair of Luke Bowen and Andrew Silver has been going well, with Silver?s comeback at 42 being a big success.

There have been question marks about the form of Chris Neath and Tommy Allen, such a regular faller, but 2009 signing Linus Sundstrom has been a fine acquisition.

Clearly we will need to gate well but most of our riders are capable of handling the slick and tricky Rye House track. Rockets fans give us a chance but we would probably be quite happy to take a point.

Likely teams :

Rye House: Robert Mear, Tommy Allen, rider replacement for Joe Haines, Chris Neath, Linus Sundstrom, Luke Bowen, Andrew Silver.

Edinburgh: Ryan Fisher, rider replacement for Thomas H Jonasson, Michal Rajkowski, Andrew Tully, Matthew Wethers, Aaron Summers, Sean Stoddart.