The Incredible League Winners Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

THE TREBLE IS OURS

REPORT Saturday 25th October 2014, 11:57pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

After a night which can rarely have been equalled for drama anywhere in Speedway, the Scotwaste Monarchs got what most people would say they deserve out of this season when they won the Premier League with a Playoff Final aggregate total of 96-95 against Somerset.

The 2014 team are thus confirmed as our greatest ever team, having previously landed the Premier Pairs, the League Cup and the Knockout Cup. But what a night of emotional turmoil the Playoff Final proved to be.

In the end we had done well to keep the deficit to 12 points at Somerset. The Rebels really are a tough proposition on their home circuit, and we had powerhouse performances from Cook and Masters to thank. There was a fair degree of optimism in the home camp as the teams lined up tonight.

For eight heats that optimism seemed entirely justified, as we barely put a foot wrong. Seven of the eight heat winners to that point, 5-1s in heats 1, 3, 5 and 6 (three of these featuring key man Justin Sedgmen) and a brilliant effort by Sedgmen again to nullify the first TR in heat 8, with captain Sneddon also scoring an important point in that one.

So we were two up on aggregate, and you know how strong Monarchs are over the closing stages, right?

Wrong. Somerset are not a team to give up, especially when we make errors and give them an opening to get back in.

Max Fricke seemed to make the gate in heat 9 but swung too wide off the second bend, leaving a big opening for ace reserve Starke and Morris to take a 5-1. Thank goodness they didn't use the TR there.

But we put that right when the superb Cook and Sedgmen pair (best we've ever had?) took 5 from Wright and Aspgren. We were in front again.

The Rebels gambled with a TR in heat 11 for the pointless guest Aaron Summers, and for once Sam Masters didn't get it right, missing the start and coming off on the first corner. We lost an 8-1, and if the heads didn't go down in the pits, they certainly did in the crowd.

That loss was compounded by another win for Starke in heat 12, a 2-4, and now we were only 5 up on the night and 7 down on aggregate.

We all knew what we needed to do, we're good at arithmetic. 5-1s in heats 13 and 15 and sharing heat 14. But there was no room for error!

Heat 13 was stopped twice as Morris and Masters clashed and came down. Some thought Morris was at fault but Sam said "Just racing, I would have done the same!" But at the third attempt Sam made a much better start and came round the Rebels to join Craig to successfully take that first 5-1. We're still in it!

Heat 14 was shared though perhaps not in the way we expected. Pontus Aspgren won it in spite of a big effort by Max to catch him, but Aaron Fox scored one of his most crucial points by heading top scorer Starke.

So that was that – 5-1 for the league! Justin Sedgmen was unbeaten but hadn't been out since heat 10, so the Monarchs' management chose the heat 13 5-1 pairing of Cook and Masters, lining up against Morris and Aspgren. The league campaign comes down to the final heat!

Surprisingly Rebels took gates 2 and 4. Craig was away well from the inside, Sam wasn't particularly, but he turned back off bend two to find that Cookie had moved the Rebels over and left a big passageway for him! Sam didn't miss the chance and we were away.

One lap, two laps… but suddenly there was a bike on the track and the heat was stopped. The official announcement was that the race would be awarded because Aspgren had "deliberately laid his bike down and stayed on the track." You don't often hear it put that bluntly and the Swedish rider will perhaps reflect on that in years to come.

But all he had achieved was to make it a little bit easier for us to get the 5-1 – we didn't have to do laps 3 and 4. There was no doubt it was the right decision.

Cook - paid maximum. Sedgmen - paid maximum, Masters and Fricke, double figures and the reserves with 7 vital points between them. And Stevie Worrall, who came up to enjoy the night, had played as big a part in getting us here as anyone.

And so the party begins.