Somerset Rebels v Edinburgh Monarchs

REPORT Wednesday 27th August 2008, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Even optimists in the Monarchs? camp felt we would not push the Rebels too close on the fast Somerset track, so a final deficit of 44-48 represents a great effort.

This is especially true considering the start we made. We lost a comfortable 5-1 in heat 1, and another in heat 2 though Andrew got reasonably close.

The recovery began with race wins for Matthew in heat 3 and Ryan in heat 4, plus a third for Thomas which brought us a 4-2 in the third heat.

We looked like sharing heat 5 until Derek?s brave fight to home off Emil Kramer just failed up the final straight as the Rebel pipped him.

Ryan switched back off the second bend and swept past Jason Doyle for a big win in heat 6, but we trailed again in heat 7 after Thomas and Matthew were outgated.

Heat 8 was a great effort by Derek who squeezed to the front off the second bend on the outside, and spent the whole race trying to fend off the faster Frampton (inside) and Werner (outside). As in heat 5 he didn?t cover the outside well enough round the final bend and just lost out to Werner.

The score now stood at 17-37 and although we had provided some decent opposition from heat 3 onwards, it didn?t seem likely that we could get anywhere near a result.

Fisher in heat 9 was a clear TR chance, though he was off the poorish gate 1. Kramer was off 4 and gave Ryan his first defeat, but Andrew did well to pass Kroger to earn us a 5-3.

Matthew and Thomas shared heat 10 behind Doyle who got a blinding start off gate 4, then we saw a good ride by former Rebel Lemon to head home Frampton with Derek holding third this time, not really pressed by Katt.

We were now 10 behind and saw the best of Thomas on an excellent heat 12. He had gate 4 but didn?t really get away ahead of Kramer, with whom he had a thrilling battle of passing and repassing before taking a great win. Andrew took third again and the gap was now down to 8.

Doyle won heat 13 but Frampton pulled a big locker coming out of the second bend and couldn?t get out of last place.

At 8 down we had the choice of trying a TS in heat 14, or using Andrew who had had a couple of good thirds to replace Aaron off the gate. John Campbell went for the latter, looking for a draw with two 5-1s.

Andrew was off gate 4 but didn?t make the start, and although Matthew rode brilliantly to win again, the 3-3 clinched a home win.

The last heat was another excellent race with Ryan riding wide and Matthew on the inside riding a cool 4 laps to hold off the hard-pressing Frampton. Frampton stopped on the final turn though the 5-1 was coming anyway.

Admittedly the Rebels would have had Doyle in the final heat had it been a decider, but the 44-48 result was a booster for us rather than the Rebels.