The Rebels ultimately booked a return trip to the Cup Final, where they will face either Workington or Edinburgh, but only after being taken to a last heat decider by a Rockets side which worked overtime to cover the absence of injured No.1 Tai Woffinden.

Rye needed to make a quick impression on the Rebels’ fifteen point first leg advantage, and they did just that via successive 5-1s from the duos of Danny Halsey/Luke Bowen and Stefan Ekberg/Tommy Allen in Heats 2 and 3. With Jordan Frampton excluded following a second lap tumble outside Luke Bowen in the next race, the consequent 4-2 left the Rockets looking good at 17-7.

Visiting No.1 Jason Doyle stemmed the flow with a six point Tactical win in Heat 5, but a further Rye 5-1, after Robert Mear had scorched from last to second place behind Stefan Ekberg inside half a lap, brought the Rockets to within just four points on aggregate, at 25-14. Unfortunately for Rye, the next two races were to prove turning points. Both featured former Rocket Brent Werner, and both produced hammer blow 5-1s, as the American Express and respective partners Emil Kramer and Jordan Frampton brought the score right back to 27-24.

It took Chris Neath’s Heat 11 win over Jason Doyle – the Aussie’s only defeat across both legs of the tie – and the resultant 4-2 to edge the Rockets five points clear again, although there was fresh hope when Luke Bowen and Tommy Allen swiftly followed up with a 5-1 over Emil Kramer. With Doyle taking Heat 13 and Frampton holding off Neath for third place, Somerset pulled back again to 44-37, though, leaving Rye chasing maximum advantages from the final two races to force an aggregate tie and replay.

Luke Bowen and Tommy Allen duly produced the first 5-1 in an emotional Heat 14, leaving Allen and Stefan Ekberg with the same requirement against Doyle and Kramer in the finale. After a tense build-up to the heat, it was clear that no quarter was to be asked for or given, as three of the field went down in a bruising first corner. Re-run with all four riders, a similarly hard-fought first bend saw the Rebels pairing go clear and eventually complete a 5-1 after the chasing Tommy Allen had fallen on the third lap.

Rye House scorers:
Stefan Ekberg   11+2 (6 rides)
Robert Mear   7+2 (5)
Tai Woffinden   R/R
Tommy Allen   10+3 (6)
Chris Neath   7+1 (5)
Danny Halsey   5 (3)
Luke Bowen   10+1 (5)
Rob Smith (No.8)  DNR

Somerset scorers:
Jason Doyle   17 (5 rides, inc 6 as a TR)
Simon Walker   R/R
Emil Kramer   8+2 (5)
Matthias Kröger  0 (3)
Jordan Frampton  8 (5)
Stefan Katt   1 (5)
Brent Werner   9+1 (7)
Kyle Newman (No.8)  DNR