IT was a week of mixed fortunes for Somerset Rebels as they overcome the disappointment of a 51-44 defeat at Ipswich Witches with a 54-42 win over Rye House.

The win kept Somerset well in shake-up in their group for qualification for the semi-final stages of the League Cup, but with Ipswich also winning at Plymouth at the same time as the Rebels were summarily dispatching Rye House, it looks as if things will go down to the wire before the eventual group winner is decided.

Last Thursday night, the Rebels travelled to Ipswich and flew out of the traps as Jason Doyle and Alex Davies shot Somerset into a 5-1 heat win.

But Ipswich responded and claimed their own maximum win in heat two followed by further 5-1 wins in heats three, four and five to storm into a 21-9 lead.

The Rebels struggled to recover and despite a late fight-back from Doyle, who won heats 13 and 15, Ipswich ran out as comfortable winners.

On Friday night at the Oaktree Arena, the Rebels gave their fans something to cheer about as Doyle once again shot out of the blocks to put them 5-1 up after the first heat.

Tom Perry won a tied heat two before the Rebels planted a firm foot on the meeting with a win from Josh Grajczonek in heat three.

At the half-way stage, the Rebels lead 24-12 thanks to a maximum 5-1 win following a re-run thanks to Doyle and Perry.

The Rebels stamped their authority on Rye House as Grajczonek won both heat eight and nine to put an 11-point gap between the two teams.

That soon became a 15-point lead when Jason Doyle won heat 11 and despite a minor comeback from Rye House, the Rebels held firm and claimed the win.