Edinburgh Monarchs v Rye House Rockets

All meetings down south were off but Scotland was mainly dry – other than Armadale of course which had some lengthy afternoon showers to contend with.

This match could easily have been called off but the track staff set to work with the crowd patiently waiting till the work had been completed just before 8. We finished up with a track easy to ride (at least in mid-track) though it didn’t take long for it to go slick and dusty, understandably.

As a result there wasn’t a great deal of opportunity for passing, but those prepared to give it a go were worth watching.

The home team gradually built up an advantage and were always going to win comfortably, but there was some interesting resistance from Edward Kennett, NB Jakobsen and Luke Bowen. Rockets’ middle pairing struggled though with Robin Aspegren completely off the pace.

Kennett is a class performer of course, especially on small tracks, and he impressively swept past Kevin Wolbert to take his 6-point TR in heat 5. He was riding with Bowen and some may have recalled that this pair recorded two 8-1 advantages last year, but this time they were restricted to 7.

Bowen had won heat 2, and Jakobsen made it three heat winners out of the first six when he headed Sedgmen and Worrall.

That was it though, no more chequered flags even though Jakobsen in particular continued to impress. He rode with determination and style throughout.

The home riders could all be satisfied with their form, with points for everyone and four riders each beaten in just one race. Justin Sedgmen’s mastery of first corner tactics is a pleasure to watch, and Max Clegg provided a particularly good moment with his heat 7 cutback.

Both Clegg and Craig Cook found that if you tried a very wide line to pick up speed, you were likely to hit trouble. Cook’s fall came in heat 13 after the Rockets had gated, giving Steve Worrall a second chance which he gratefully grabbed.

Best heat was the last one as Wolbert and Jakobsen passed and repassed for second spot with the German eventually getting the upper hand.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Rye House Rockets

League leaders Edinburgh Border Roofing Monarchs entertain the Rye House 'Restart' Rockets for the first time this season in a Premier League encounter at Armadale this Friday with the visitors looking to show they're better than results suggest.

The Rockets looked to have put together a winning side for 2015 but they have been dogged by injuries which at one point reduced the Rockets to a five man side at Workington when Hoddesden favourite, Steve Boxall was sidelined for the season.

Monarchs have more recently run into injury problems but for this match they are able to track their 2014 star Steve Worrall at No.1 in place of Sam Masters. He faces Rockets' captain, 28-year-old Ed Kennett from Hastings who first rode for Rockets in 2001.

At No.2 is Justin Sedgmen who provides much of the solidity in the middle order for Monarchs while, as so often this season, the visitors should not be too inconvenienced by using rider replacement since their 3, 4, 6 and 7 can all take extra rides.

At 3 and 4, Monarchs have their formidable all-German pairing of Kevin Wolbert and Erik Riss who face the Rockets' all-Swedish pairing of Anders Mellgen (24) and Robin Aspegren (26) who were originally team-mates at Newport in 2010.

This will be the last Friday for multiple track record holder, Craig Cook at No.5 where he has been simply magnificent in recent weeks. His unfortunate opposite number 5 is Nikolaj Busk Jacobsen, a hugely promising 21-year-old rider from Denmark.

Max Clegg is finally repaying the faith placed in him by Monarchs and he will be tested at No.6 by the experienced 28-year-old Luke '747' Bowen from Harlow in Essex who took a break from speedway in April but has now returned with renewed confidence.

Rob Branford is hopefully returning from injury with renewed confidence at No.7 where he lines up opposite Rockets' mid-season signing, 21-year-old Danny Maassen from Germany who was first brought to these shores by Sheffield in 2013.

Rye House have a workmanlike side with a number of riders on lower averages than their undoubted talent suggests, so at any time they are liable to produce surprising results and they have won on the road at Peterborough, Plymouth and Scunthorpe.

Monarchs on the other hand gambled on a number of riders improving as the season progressed and this is being repaid with Wolbert, Riss, Clegg and Branford all backing up last years' retained big three of Cook, Masters and Sedgmen.

Monarchs start this one as clear favourites but Len Silver's side have two exciting performers in Ed Kennett and Nikolaj Jakobsen, plus a potentially strong reserve pairing, which makes it imperative that Monarchs don't make any slip-ups on the night.

Injuries apart, Edinburgh are in a golden period which has seen them pulling ahead of some very strong Premier League sides in the race for the play-offs, and a good result here for Rye House would put them in contention. Don't miss this one. Tapes up at 7.30 sharp.

Likely line-ups:

EDINBURGH BORDER ROOFING MONARCHS: Stevie Worrall (guest), Justin Sedgmen, Kevin Wolbert, Erik Riss, Craig Cook (capt.), Max Clegg, Rob Branford.

RYE HOUSE ROCKETS: Eddie Kennett (capt.), R/R for Kasper Lykke, Anders Mellgren, Robin Aspegren, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, Luke Bowen, Danny Maassen.