Somerset Rebels v Edinburgh Monarchs

REPORT Wednesday 8th October 2008, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Once again the Scotwaste Monarchs came up trumps as a backs-to-the-wall battle took us into the Playoff Final.

For much of the night it didn?t seem like this would be the outcome. William had no speed, Aaron hasn?t learnt to cope with these really quick tracks yet, and we were slowly sinking under a barrage of relentless Rebels.

To make matters worse Ryan Fisher blew his motor when lying second in heat 4 (he was thrown off his bike) and Derek Sneddon blew his while third in heat 8. It seemed these stoppages would be fatal to our efforts, but we still had enough fight left to turn the tide.

Supporters at the start line were pretty adamant that Matthew Wethers had edged a win in heat 1 from the formidable combination of Kramer and Doyle, but it was given to Kramer after a race-long chase.

Derek Sneddon took second spot in heat 2 but an early challenge to Warwick (replacing the ill Matthias Kroger) by Aaron Summers eventually faded away.

Heat 3 looked like the third successive 4-2 to Rebels until Ryan?s bike gave way under him in a shower of sparks and he hit the deck. The rerun weas a home 5-1.

Matthew took second to the speedy Frampton in heat 4 and we lost a 5-1 by a large margin in heat 5, so with the score at 8-22 things were not looking bright.

At last we had a race winner, another super effort by Matthew in heat 6 to lead Doyle and Frampton all the way. At least Somerset had used their two strongest rider replacements.

We chose to use the TR in heat 7 and although Ryan and Andrew nosed ahead on the second bend, Frampton again showed his pace by bursting to the front at the third corner.

A 5-3 wasn?t a great return and maybe heat 8 would have been a better place for the TR. Heat 8 would have been an advantage, but we suffered another blow when Derek Sneddon stopped while lying third ahead of Katt. Ryan won the heat but it was only shared.

Matthew had been our most consistent rider but even he could do no better than third in heat 9, another home 5-1, and we were just 5 up on aggregate. No chance, surely?

Doyle won his first heat in heat 10 but Ryan and Andrew managed to hold Werner at the back. Heat 11 was also shared, behind Frampton, with Warwick slipping off at the back but clearing the track.

Heat 12 was a big one. Derek on gate 1, Ryan gate 3, Kramer gate 2 and Werner on the fence. First attempt, Ryan jerked forward and though we made the gate, it was stopped. Second attempt, it was Werner who moved, we made the gate again and no advantage rule was applied. Stopped again.

Could we make the start again, against the unbeaten Kramer? Yes we could and a great ride by Ryan and Derek gave us a vital 5-1.

Now the gap was only 12. Looking down the heats, 13 and 15 did not look good but perhaps we could take an advantage in between?

It didn?t quite work out according to expectations, indeed it rarely does. Matthew did really well in heat 13 to get between Doyle and Frampton, and now Rebels needed two 5-1s to go through.

Katt made the start again, but Andrew and Derek happily rode together to keep Warwick at the rear and ensure that we were through.

Doyle won the last one but again we shared it, through Ryan and Matthew ahead of Kramer.

The key fact was that of our four contributing riders, they had 23 rides and only one last place (as well as two unlucky engine failures) in these heats. A great effort against a strong team.

Full Result Details