Edinburgh Monarchs v Somerset Rebels

This week's visitors to sunny Armadale are the Somerset Rebels from way down deep in the west country.

We have fond memories of the titanic struggle for the League Championship last year against the Rebels but they didn't exactly shine on their two visits to the Dale losing heavily on both occasions. So what are their prospects for Friday night?

?...in truth, not much better. The Rebels went through a traumatic winter when, at one point, their prospects of taking their place in the league this season looked decidedly bleak. At the last minute the club was fortunately saved but it left them the problem of resurrecting a team from the ashes of last year. They had lost Jason Doyle who had returned to parent club, Poole, and Jordan Frampton who decided to join league newcomers Newport to make sure he had a team with all the uncertainty surrounding the Rebels' future. Matthias Kroger and Stefan Katt had decided not to return to Britain this season while Brent Werner left to join Newport before being dropped by the Wasps.

This meant that the Rebels needed five new recruits. They were used to having one of the top men in the league occupying the number 1 race jacket with Magnus Zetterstrom and Jason Doyle, the last two occupants, certainly justifying that title. To keep the tradition going, they recruited Steve Johnston from the Elite League who has not disappointed with his exciting all action style. Emil Kramer returned to join him and the Rebels settled on Cory Gathercole who last year rode for the Isle of Wight, to fill the third heat leader spot. With Gathercole a revelation at the Oak Tree Arena they now have one of the best three heat leader combinations in the Premier League. They carry a strong threat to their opponents at most tracks and might have formed the basis of another title chasing team. Unfortunately the back up is only a shadow of that they had last year.

Simon Walker, their captain, has a record round his home track which makes him a genuine fourth heat leader at home but he doesn't seem to be anything like as good away from the comfort of his Highbridge base. The other three can best be described as genuine reserves on their travels although they have one of the most promising youngsters around at number 7 in Justin Sedgmen. He hasn't yet been to Armadale so we can only guess at how he might do but first-timers to the Scotwaste Arena in the reserve berths usually struggle to find their feet. If the Rebels are to mount a serious threat then a lot will depend on how the young Australian performs. He's sure to find it an alien environment compared to what he is used to at home.

Somerset recently lost the services of Jay Herne who had done better since signing for the Rebels than many believed he would. His doubling up with Bournemouth in the National League (who had prior call on his services) took its toll, their fixtures clashing frequently with his Somerset meetings. In his place they signed Nick Simmons who we best remember from his days with Exeter. He's an experienced rider who had a spell at Belle Vue last year but is unlikely to be comfortable with the tight Armadale turns. Completing the team is Tom Brown who might have been considered the weak link of the Somerset side prior to the start of the season. However, he has had some startlingly good matches mainly at home as we noticed when he rode as reserve in the Premier League Pairs Championship recently!

For the Monarchs we are without that well known rider ? Reidar Replacement ? this week (assuming Matthew Wethers is fit to take his place in the side) as Thomas H Jonasson makes a very welcome return to the side. With two away wins at the weekend with Thomas back in harness it's obvious how much strength he adds to the side particularly on the away tracks. Everyone will be hoping he can now get fully to grips with Armadale and take the strain off the rest of the team who had to take extra rides in his absence. A rider of his quality will get the hang of it eventually and there would be no better time than this Friday.

Having done so well at the weekend it would be unthinkable to let the good work go to waste by slipping up against the Rebels. That's not to say that a win can be taken for granted. With the top end strength the Rebels possess it would be foolish to assume that we only have to turn up. One thing's for sure and that is that Steve Johnston will provide a strong challenge for all of our riders. We must avoid letting him run riot particularly with riders of the calibre of Emil Kramer and Cory Gathercole backing him up.

As always may the better team win with the hope that all riders come through the match unscathed.

Teams: Edinburgh: Ryan Fisher, Michal Rajkowski, Thomas H Jonasson, Matthew Wethers (captain), Andrew Tully, Aaron Summers and Byron Bekker.

Somerset: Steve Johnston, Simon Walker (captain), Nick Simmons, Emil Kramer, Cory Gathercole, Tom Brown and Justin Sedgmen.