The Silver Ski Rockets bounced back from the previous night’s thumping at Somerset to hand the Monarchs only their second defeat of the season.

In a tense match, in which both the score and racing remained equally tight, they came back from four points down to clinch the win in the penultimate heat.

All the Rockets played their part in this result. Tai Woffinden delivered his customary big haul, while Stefan Ekberg contributed three race wins and captain Chris Neath rebounded from a string of recent mechanical problems to top the Rye score-chart. Lower down, Robert Mear showed that he intends to make his transition to the main body of the team as seamless as possible, and Luke Bowen soldiered on through the pain of his shoulder injury. Finally, Danny Halsey contributed a critical point at a key time in the match, and could not be faulted for his determination and effort.

The Monarchs, for their part, more than impressed, and certainly look a serious threat for the title. Despite the absence of Thomas Jonasson with rib and leg injuries, they demonstrated that they have real strength in depth and the ability to produce race wins at all levels. They also have an excellent trump card at reserve in Andrew Tully, with partner Aaron Summers showing rapid development, and could well have achieved a different result if Derek Sneddon, who has matured into their second heat leader role, had not had such a torrid time.

It was Tully who delivered the first warning sign of the Monarchs’ intent by winning Heat 1 in a new fastest time of the season at Rye (56.5 secs), and then passing Danny Halsey to join Summers for a visiting 5-1 in Heat 2.

The Rockets fought back in the next race, with Robert Mear surging inside Ryan Fisher for the win and Tai Woffinden finding incredible drive off the fourth bend to take Sneddon, for the 4-2. Edinburgh answered with a 4-2 of their own in Heat 5, with Matthew Wethers rounding Luke Bowen on the third lap to claim the win and Stefan Ekberg remaining at the back of the field, to leave the score at 14-10 in their favour.

Woffinden won Heat 5 in a new season-fastest time (56.3 secs), and at one point Heat 6 looked set to deliver a Rockets 5-1. Chris Neath took the chequered flag, but Robert Mear unfortunately locked up while battling Wethers for second place and slipped to the back.

The deficit was reduced to just 2 points, at 22-20, when Ekberg and Halsey finished either side of Fisher in Heat 7, while Mear opened a door for both himself and Bowen by powering forcefully under Summers, to ensure a shared Heat 8.

There was yet more passing in the next race, won by Woffinden from the back against Tully, before Mear and Neath supplied the Rockets’ only 5-1 of the night to finally take them into the lead, at 31-29.

Woffinden and Bowen improved that margin with a 4-2 in Heat 12, while Neath blasted around Matthew Wethers for the victory that maintained that advantage in Heat 13. This was after Stefan Ekberg had been the innocent victim of a first bend domino effect, requiring treatment ahead of the re-run, and just before the Swede partnered Bowen to the 4-2 against Andrew Tully in Heat 14 that wrapped up a Rye win with a race to spare.

Rye House scorers:
Chris Neath   12+1 (5 rides)
Robert Mear   9+1 (5)      
Tai Woffinden   11+1 (5)
Tommy Allen   R/R
Stefan Ekberg   9 (5)
Danny Halsey   1 (3)
Luke Bowen   6+1 (7)
Gary Cottham (No.8)  dnr

Edinburgh scorers:
William Lawson  8+1 (5 rides)
Thomas Jonasson  R/R
Derek Sneddon  0 (3)
Ryan Fisher   5+1 (5)
Matthew Wethers  11+1 (6)
Andrew Tully   13+2 (7)
Aaron Summers  5+1 (4)