GREAT SHOW BUT REBELS ARE CHAMPS

The Scotwaste Monarchs rode out of their skins tonight to push Somerset right to the wire, before going down 49-44 on the night and 92-89 on aggregate - so t is congratulations to Somerset Rebels who are worthy champions.

The track was wet after a heavy shower about 6:20, and the result was that everyone had to ride on a ribbon of track round the inside line. It made gating crucial though there were a few overtakes in the second half of the meeting.

With just a two-point lead from Friday, we didn't start favourites, and we started by losing the toss and a first heat 5-1. These two factors were not unrelated as each of the first three heats was won from gate one, with the riders off gate 4 getting just a single point.

Craig and Max did seem to make decent starts but didn't get to the bend, and Craig eventually retired at the back.

Remarkably our first rider to make a real impact was Liam Carr with a brilliant win in heat two - believe it or not, in the fastest time of the night! The boy has done a great job for us.

That heat was shared, and we lost a 4-2 in heat three, though Claus looked impressive and pushed Alex Davies hard.

Theo got a blinder of a start in heat 4 and led all the way, and in heat 5 we drew level on aggregate with a 5-1 from Craig and Max! We certainly were not going to make it easy for the Rebels.

We were a bit unfortunate in heat 6 in which Theo and Liam were together behind Doyle, but they were too close and Liam could not get to the inside line. This gave Newman a chance to slip past for the point, in spite of a terrific effort by Liam to regain the position.

Claus and Derek shared heat 7 behind Grajczonek, but we lost a 4-2 in heat 8 with Derek getting between Newman and Wright. We were six down on the night now.

Heat 9 didn't go to plan as Theo held second behind Morris, but was passed by Davies with a good move from the Aussie. However this did have the effect of putting us 10 down.

We didn't use the TR in the next heat, and we were on a 1-5 from the tapes. Doyle was miles clear but an excellent move by Derek round the outside took him past Newman, and Claus then followed him through on the last lap.

So we were still 10 down and were then able to use Craig on double points. He won heat 11 but not without a strong challenge from the impressive Grajczonek.

The score on the night was now 38-31 and we were still in the hunt.

Claus was really on song and made a great start to win heat 12, but Derek lifted at the gate and just failed to pass Greenwood - a useful contributor for the Rebels.

There was due to be an interval now but as the rain was starting again they wisely pressed on. Craig made the start in heat 13 but this time Grajczonek found a terrific outside line and went past to win.

We now needed two 5-1s to win the league. And we gated in heat 14! Claus was the r/r for Jozsef in this one and made no mistake, but Derek was caught by Davies who rode very well for the home side.

We needed a 5-0 now which was obviously unlikely, but we finished strongly with Craig winning yet another heat 15, blazing round a wide line, and Claus taking third.

We had fallen just short but had done ourselves proud. We needed a few more points from Friday and should have had them.

Craig was brilliant once again after heat one, and we saw the best of Claus, which we would have loved to see more often this season. Everyone else did their bit and whilst this might not be the strongest team we have ever had, it is a team with great character which can perform well when the chips are down. Well done to them all.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Somerset Rebels

The climax of the Premier League speedway season has come down to a thrilling shootout between the two clubs who have come through very tough Play-Off sections, with Scotwaste Monarchs hosting the first leg of the Final against the Somerset 'Cases' Rebels at Armadale on Friday.

Monarchs did beat the Rebels home and away in the regular league season but after a dead heat in the first running of the two-leg KO Cup Semi Final, Somerset easily won the replayed tie over two legs, so there's really nothing to choose between these two top sides.

As befits such an occasion, the Premier League's top two riders go head to head at No.1. Both Craig Cook and his opposite number, Jason Doyle, have packed in as many matches as they possibly can this year while maintaining an incredibly high standard, so this is a crucial match-up.

Max Fricke will be looking to round off a highly successful debut season with a top performance against Kyle Newman from Poole who is still only 21 but who is now in his seventh year of speedway in the UK, having first started out at Weymouth in 2007.

Claus Vissing has been scoring well in his new position at No.3 and will be expected to outscore his opposite number, 20-year-old Alex Davies, an Australian in his second season with the Rebels after spells with Newport and Newcastle who now boasts a seven point average.

Once again, Hungarian hero Jozsef Tabaka has been coming back to top form and could be a game-changer for Monarchs but he is up against former Glasgow favourite, Josh Grajczonek who has taken on a new lease of life since being loaned to Somerset and having an injury-free run.

Probably the Monarch with most weight on his shoulders will be Theo Pijper who will have to produce his very best battling qualities against Somerset's impressive heat leader trio. At No. 5 he faces the flying 19-year-old Australian, Nick Morris who burst onto the UK scene with Glasgow in 2010.

The two most experienced reserves are at sixes and sevens! Edinburgh's captain fantastic, Derek Sneddon is at No.7 although the man he has to target is one-time Monarchs reserve Charles Wright at No.6 for Somerset who has grown in confidence since being released by Edinburgh.

Both teams track National league guests to make up their numbers. Buxton Hitmen's Liam Carr returns to Edinburgh's No.6 position having impressed anytime he can make a start. Somerset track 18-year-old Oliver Greenwood at No.7 who has an almost identical average with the Coventry Storm.

So once again we have two very evenly matched sides, although Somerset must start as favourites over two legs, having finished several places above Edinburgh in the regular season league table and having a one-and-a-half point lead in the overall green sheet team averages.

At this time of year, the eventual champions may be the team that copes best with heavy conditions, but in any event, Monarchs will need to take a healthy first leg lead to Somerset on Monday, so they will need every last ounce of support you can give them from the terraces. Tapes up 7.30 sharp.

Likely line-ups:

EDINBURGH SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Max Fricke, Claus Vissing, Jozsef Tabaka, Theo Pijper, Liam Carr, Derek Sneddon (capt).

'CASES' SOMERSET REBELS: Jason Doyle (capt.), Kyle Newman, Alex Davies, Josh Grajczonek, Nick Morris, Charles Wright, Oliver Greenwood.