Monarchs halt Rebels to secure place in play-offs
Masters and Fisher lead way as Edinburgh defeat Somerset
The Edinburgh Border Roofing Monarchs kept up their perfect home league form as they geared up for the play- offs with a 50- 43 win over Somerset Rebels.
The victory sees the Armadale- based club secure a fourth-placed finish in the Premier League table ahead of the play-offs, which begin on Thursday against Ipswich.
Monarchs’ team manager Alex Harkess hailed the battling victory against the Rebels, saying: “I was very happy to keep our 100 per cent home league record against a good team, but some of our side were not at their best.
“We made much harder work of it than we should have.”
It was a strange match against the Rebels, whose three main guests all performed well, while for the Monarchs, they were forced to call in reinforcements in the shape of Thomas Jorgensen and Ben Hopwood.
The pair, replacing Erik Riss and Dan Bewley, more than played their role in the victory as they combined for 10 points.
The hosts stormed out to an early 18-6 lead after four heats, but were pegged back and never looked like they had the points wrapped up until they sealed victory in the final heat decider.
In truth, the uneven starting gates played far too much a part in the final score as there were ten heats that saw maximum scores, with seven of those being recorded by gates two and four.
That those two gates out-scored gates one and three by 59 points to 34 is something that needs to be remedied by the Monarchs as they head into the play-offs hoping to seal their third consecutive title.
Captain Sam Masters and America ace Ryan Fisher went very well for the hosts, with both riders dropping points in just one heat. The duo also combined for four 5-1s.
Young reserve Max Clegg scored reasonably with 8+1. However, a poor heat 14 that saw both visiting riders pass him, set up a decisive final heat with the home side sitting just three points in front.
Cue Masters and Fisher to grab their fourth maximum of the night and make it a perfect 11 wins from 11 at home in the Premier League.
There was double title delight either side of the match for Clegg, who sealed the British Under-19 Championship two days before the Somerset clash. He followed that up by lifting the National League Riders’ Championship at Leicester on Saturday evening.
Proof, if it were needed, that the Monarchs have yet another top young talent on their books.