Scunthorpe Scorpions v Edinburgh Monarchs

We took a point at Scunthorpe which with Kalle Katajisto absent was a good effort - but it could have been more.

We gave an excellent account of ourselves and at times showed a greater appreciation of how to ride the circuit than the home boys, but in the end a possible victory slipped away from us.

David Howe won the opening heat from rider replacement Wethers, but Kevin Wolbert slipped to the back.

Once again we saw the excellent potential of Kyle Howarth who led all the way in heat 2, and we levelled the scores when Tully and Wethers took a 4-2 in heat 3.

In the early stages the riders were sticking to the inside line, though this was to change.

Both Scunthorpe riders fell on the first bend of heat 4 with Worrall excluded, then Cook and Howarth romped to a 5-1 over Wilson to put us in front.

Kevin Wolbert switched machines and became the first rider to ride the outside, blasting round Bergstrom and Aarnio to win heat 5.

Howe looked impressive winning heat 6 from Cook, though as the match wore on the home no. 1 showed a reluctance to move out to the dirt.

Wilson led the way in heat 7 and he is a quite different proposition when he makes the gate. Matthew Wethers managed to pass the lively Jorgensen for second even though he lifted as he did so, but Andrew Tully just failed to come through from the back.

The scores were now level but we edged ahead again when Craig Cook won his rider replacement ride in heat 8, and Kyle Howarth took another point.

Cook was quickly out again to take another impressive win in heat 9.

Joe Haines got away with a roller in heat 10, and backed Howe to gain a crucial 5-1 over Andrew and Matthew.

Wolbert pulled off a stunning win in heat 11, looking very fast round the outside and coming from third to first to pass Jorgensen and Wilson.

Andrew Tully learnt from that and pulled off the same move with a great ride in heat 12, passing Jorgensen and Bergstrom.

Could we continue to ride the outside line, and would the home men keep on sticking to the substantial blue groove? Well it did look like it because something similar happened in heat 13, our outside lines being superior and Kevin and Craig taking a maximum 5-1 over the previously unbeaten Howe.

We were now 40-38 ahead and needed something from heat 14. However Aarnio led from Wethers, with Jorgensen pressing, when Kyle Howarth made a brave bid to use that outside line and sweep round everyone.

It didn't quite work they, he jack-knifed off and came down with a crash. Fortunately he was OK.

In the rerun Matthew again held second, but he could not find the speed he needed and was passed by Jorgensen. That gave Scorpions the lead back.

We would have loved gates 2 and 4 but we had had the choice in heat 1, so the home men had the better gates. They made them count as Aarnio and Howe went ahead.

This time they rode wider to block out Cook and Wolbert, and even though Howe seemed to lose control and dropped out, Aarnio's win ensured that Scunthorpe took the win.

We could be very happy with our team's efforts though. If only we had had Kalle there, he would have liked that outside line!

Scunthorpe Scorpions v Edinburgh Monarchs

Edinburgh's title aspirations will face a big test tonight (5.00) when they face Scunthorpe Scorpions in the return Premier League match at the Eddie Wright Raceway following the Monarchs' emphatic win at Armadale on Friday.

And they will find a very different challenge against a team who are without doubt much stronger around their own circuit. They have already beaten Berwick and Rye House at Normanby Road but have also lost to Workington and Sheffield, the latter in their first match of the new season the Steel Town Trophy challenge.

However the most significant result could be their last one when they ended Somerset's unbeaten run 49-41 only three days after being crushed by the same opponents by 62-32 away from home. So Monarchs will have to be at their sharpest from the word go tonight if they want to come away with any league points.

Former Elite League rider David Howe will again be the spearhead for the Scorpions, and he showed on Friday how determined he was to get the better of Kevin Wolbert whom he saw as his biggest threat. But in the same race Monarchs showed their all-round strength as Craig Cook nipped through for the win.

But expect much more all-round strength from the Scorpions on their home shale. All their riders regularly score more points there and both Ben Wilson and Victor Bergstrom have recorded double figure scores there this season. Aarnio, Haines and Worrell will all be looking to improve on their Armadale showings.

If Monarchs can get off to a good start and they all show the level of determination they did on Friday, there's no reason to believe they can't pull off what would be a huge confidence booster ahead of the week's visit by the high-flying Ipswich Witches. But it won't be easy ? nothing worthwhile ever is!

Likely line-ups:

SCUNTHORPE HENDERSON INSURANCE SCORPIONS: David Howe, Joe Haines, Viktor Bergstr?m, Tero Aarnio, Ben Wilson , Thomas J?rgensen, Steve Worrall.

EDINBURGH SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Kevin Wolbert, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Andrew Tully, Kalle Katajisto, Craig Cook, Lee Dicken, Kyle Howarth.