Edinburgh Monarchs v Somerset Rebels

Armadale was under assault from the weather yet again as we splashed through twelve heats against Somerset and took three points against a team with some impressive riders.

It was touch and go whether the meeting would start, and once we did get under way it was clear that conditions were very difficult. The ones who succeeded were the ones with the courage to ride hard.

In fact there was some good racing, and Monarchs again showed strength of character to pull through. Somerset still had a chance of a point with three heats to go, but everyone by then was pretty well resigned to calling a halt. The rain actually did get worse after the stoppage.

The match started with a rerun after Fisher and Makinen both fell on the first turn. Johnston got away at the second attempt but with a gift point beckoning, Max Dilger came down on his own and we had to start again.

It was Johnston again in the rerun holding off Fisher and the Rebels held the lead.

Danger man Sedgmen took the lead in heat 2 but what we didn?t know was that he was carrying an arm injury. He shot across the turn and dropped to the back. Through went Byron Bekker and Aaron Summers to paddle round for a 5-1.

Wolbert led heat 3 from Kramer, and when Kramer made an error Matthew Wethers was through for another 5-1.

Fast gating Raj led for most of heat 4 but Corey Gathercole was right on his tail, and this time it was the home rider who rode a poor bend on the final lap. The Aussie was through for the win.

Steve Johnston made another start in heat 5 and the home pair jostled for the chance to make a passing attempt. Eventually Matthew made a great outside move and swept past on the pits turn.

Kevin made an error and lost ground, but still blasted back into contention before the end of the heat.

Fisher led heat 6 with Gathercole hot on his tail, but the Aussie slid off at the end of lap three. That gave us a 4-2 with Max gifted a point.

Now we were ten up but Kramer wasn?t given the TR. He won the heat which was shared, and the TR was only delayed till heat 8 in which Gathercole took the rider replacement ride for the ever-absent Walker.

The impressive Aussie won easily, and repeated the trick against Wolbert and Wethers in heat 9.

We were 7 up now but could not afford any disasters ? and one duly arrived in heat 10. Having made a good start, Ryan lost a chain entering the first turn and stopped in a shower of sparks.

Max also fell off, but the heat was stopped as Ryan could not clear the track. The rerun was an easy 5-1 for Rebels with Max just managing to get round for the point.

Just three points in it now so we had to grit our teeth. Step forward Aaron Summers, with a brilliant first corner to sweep round Johnston for a vital win. The Raj took third.

Heat 12 was a clear chance for an advantage, and even though Bekker had done well we brought in Summers for safety. He backed Wolbert to a comfortable 5-1 and we were back to 9 points ahead.

Then came the announcement that Somerset wanted a track inspection, and that was that.