Edinburgh Monarchs v Somerset Rebels

The clash of the top two teams in the Premier League table turned out to be very one-sided indeed with the Scotwaste Monarchs romping past their rivals to sieze the top spot.

This Monarchs? team has more Armadale specialists than any of their previous squads, even 2003, and there doesn?t seem to be a visiting team who can get near them at the moment.

Jason Doyle was the only visiting rider to offer serious resistance and even he ran out of steam after an unsuccessful heat 8 TR, finishing with two heavy falls.

Doyle did win heat 1 fairly easily, and after Derek Sneddon had baulked Mark Lemon on the second bend it took Lemon most of the race to find a way back past Kroger.

The Rebels? reserves are more formidable than most, but they were carved up in the usual manner with Werner gating but being quickly passed by Summers (outside) and Tully (inside).

Thomas Jonasson and Matthew Wethers took an easy 5-1 from Kramer in heat 3, Wethers doing his usual calm backup job, as Monarchs asserted themselves in the now-familiar style.

Ryan Fisher was quickly away in heat 4 and eyes were on Summers as he pressed Frampton hard. He was trying inside and out but finally came to grief at the end of lap three, dislodging a fence board.

Doyle won heat 5 from the gate and the gap stayed at 8 points. So far Brent Werner hadn?t been the danger he might have been.

Monarchs then put the foot on the gas. Lemon led all the way in heat 6 with Derek Sneddon riding a fine heat in second place to ensure that the speedy Frampton didn?t get a look in.

Heat 7 was a cracking race as Matthias Kroger made the start. Fisher and Tully were all over him but perhaps blocked each other a bit as both were trying the inside. On the final lap Fisher moved wider and though Kroger was also riding wide, he got round the German to win. Tully just failed to catch Kroger on the inside off turn four.

With Monarchs 14 ahead, Rebels used their tot r/r Frampton in heat 8 and brought in Doyle for one of the 15 metre TS rides which have paid off well for him this season.

Summers produced one of his best starts though and Sneddon also beat Frampton to the turn. Doyle was quickly in to third and racing hard, but the home pair made no mistakes to ensure that the TS move gained no extra points.

Jonasson and Frampton clashed on the second bend of heat 9 with Thomas stopping. The race was halted and all four invited back, but Thomas had to use Derek Sneddon?s bike.

Wethers gated in the rerun, Frampton got the pits turn all wrong and crashed, and Thomas laid down to miss him.

He looked uncomfortable and was eventually excluded on two minutes from the second rerun, a comfortable 5-1 over the remaining Rebel Werner.

Kramer then took the TR but this went the same way as the TS, well beaten by Lemon and Sneddon who completed a paid 11 return.

Jason Doyle was the next victim on the second bend expertise of Tully and Fisher who led him down the back straight in heat 11. He tried a fast wide bend on the pits corner but Fisher shut the door very hard. Doyle made the same move on the next corner with Fisher going tighter this time, but Doyle piled into the fence.

Inevitably the rerun was a 5-1 over Katt with Doyle excluded.

Tully replaced Jonasson in heat 12 and led from the second bend from Kramer. Aaron Summers settled in for a challenge, biding his time and eventually pulling off an excellent move to pass the big Swede late in the race. Really classy for a young rider.

Doyle seemed fired up for heat 13 and although Lemon beat him to the turn, he bumped Fisher off as he barged into second. Doyle made the start in the rerun and led for the first lap, but slid off on the opening bend of lap two. Fisher was inches behind and laid it down, but couldn?t miss the fallen rider. Frampton also came down.

Doyle went off with a wrist injury, and in the rerun we saw the best of Frampton who held off a strong early challenge from Fisher.

The home team cut loose again with big 5-1 wins in the last two heats, clinching a victory large enough to take them to first place in the Premier League.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Somerset Rebels

Following a slender defeat at the Oak Tree Arena, the pressure is really on the Scotwaste Monarchs this Friday as they aim to hang onto the coat tails of the table topping Somerset Rebels.

The Rebels edged home 48-44 in the first of the clashes billed as potential title deciders, preserving their ?own back yard? unbeaten status in the process. Monarchs shouldn?t be too disappointed with their efforts, as very few sides even reach the 40 point mark, let alone 44!

So, will the return encounter be just as close? Chances are, it may well be, although much will depend on the quality of support offered to star man Jason Doyle. Strangely enough, Doyle?s highest ever score at Armadale is 8 from 5 rides! However, a mark of his improvement this season is that it would appear inconceivable he won?t reach double figures in this one. Put it this way, if he doesn?t, the Rebels will be in trouble!!

Of the others on show, probably only Emil Kramer has shown decent kind of form up our way. The former Hull rider won the Premier League title with the Vikings in 2004 and has blossomed into a solid second heat leader this season.

Generally speaking, he has received excellent backup from young starlet Jordan Frampton, who has progressed rapidly since his fledgling days with Mildenhall in 2006. He certainly impressed me on his first visit to the Scotwaste Arena, as he helped the Fen Tigers to an away win that night. What they?d give for a victory of any kind in 2008!

He may be getting on a bit but that doesn?t mean we should discount Brent Werner, who may just turn out to be something of a dangerous weapon at reserve. The American scored well on several occasions, although his appearance in our colours during the 2005 Scottish Cup won?t exactly go down as the fondest of memories!

The remaining Rebels hopefully won?t cause too many problems although, with regards German Matthias Kroger, it really is a case of the unknown as he makes his Armadale debut. Kroger is one of four riders eligible to cover for Simon Walker, who remains sidelined with a back muscle injury. Walker himself has never pulled up any trees up here (not exactly a suitable pastime in his current state!) so his absence will undoubtedly strengthen the visitors. All bar Messrs Doyle and Kramer can take the rider replacement outings but, if Stephan Katt continues his abysmal form in West Lothian, don?t be surprised if the management bypass his name when filling in the blanks!

In the home camp, Mark Lemon is again the choice of guest for the injured William Lawson. The Aussie proved a decent pick once more with an 8 point return on his former home track tonight. Elsewhere, Ryan Fisher was the star man as he continued his recent hot streak. He really has been piling up the points in the last few weeks at various circuits across the country and is looking more impressive with each meeting.

Matthew Wethers will ride his final home fixture in the team proper before dropping down to the reserve berth for the month of September, when he?ll swap places with Andrew Tully. This will mean all bar Messrs Lawson and Fisher will have ?enjoyed? a spell at the bottom end although, in the case of Thomas H Jonasson, it was only 1 meeting!

The Monarchs? main strength throughout the season has been solid scoring from 1 to 7 and they will definitely need that once more if they are to see off the Rebels? threat. It?s safe to assume I?m looking forward to this one and, with the weather apparently set fair, it could be yet another opportunity for the terracing punters to show off their legs. Now, where did I put my shorts...?!

As always, may the best team win...

Line ups:

Edinburgh: Mark Lemon, Derek Sneddon, Thomas H Jonasson, Matthew Wethers, Ryan Fisher, Andrew Tully, Aaron Summers.

Somerset: Jason Doyle, rider replacement for Simon Walker, Emil Kramer, Matthias Kroger, Jordan Frampton, Brent Werner, Stephan Katt.