Newcastle Diamonds v Edinburgh Monarchs

After the heroics of Somerset, we didn’t have any right to expect that just 5 days later we could go down to Newcastle WITHOUT Tabaka and overturn the one-point deficit we carried from last Friday.

The best we could hope for had to be putting on a decent show and an honourable exit from the Cup – wasn't it?

Apparently no-one told the team. Once again displaying a totally positive attitude, they kept things close enough over the early stages, though by heat 10 the score was 33-27 to the Diamonds and we were seven down on aggregate.

In heat 11, Craig and Derek took a 4-2 against the Worralls, Craig handing Richie his first defeat.

In heat 12, Max Fricke took his second win, slipping past Christian Henry early on, and with a much-improved Claus Vissing third, we had cut the deficit to two points on the night, three overall.

Heat 13 was some race. This time Richie Worrall made the start on Craig (and don't forget Worrall scored an 18-point Elite league maximum during the week). Craig raced after him, probing for the gap, but was still behind at the final bend. He put everything into a wide sweeping move - and went ahead on the race to the line!

Heat 14 was now crucial. Rider replacement for Jozsef had brought zero from his first three, but this time Derek took the ride alongside Max. In the first running Steve Worrall made the start, Max went round him, then Worrall made an error and Derek ran into then back of him! All four back.

Rerun, Derek gated with Lindgren on his tail. The Swede tried everything to pass but Derek knows how to make it awkward. But Max was in there as well, and when Lindgren tried to switch lines on the last corner, Max was past for the 5-1!

So we were two up on aggregate! The last heat was Robson and Richie Worrall against Cook and Vissing. Everyone's nerves were at breaking point - except for young master Cook! He claims he feels no pressure, and he made a blistering start to win by such a margin the home men simply team rode for the drawn heat. One of our greatest ever performances and results.