Edinburgh 58, Somerset 35 (From Bridgwater Mercury)

Edinburgh 58, Somerset 35

10:30am Sunday 29th August 2010 in

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EDINBURGH cruised to a comfortable victory against the Somerset Rebels in a meeting that will not live long in the memory.

Shane Parker and Sam Masters offered any real resistance to the “champions elect” and the die was cast as early as the opening heat with Edinburgh hitting a maximum 5-1.

A fall in heat two for Somerset’s Kyle Howarth did nothing to improve the situation, although Sam Masters showed up well in his first ride at the Armadale Stadium by chasing the Monarchs’ Kevin Wölbert in the third heat.

By the time the Rebels skipper came to the tapes for heat four, Somerset were already eight points behind, training 13-5.

Shane Parker notched Somerset’s first win in heat four, the first of three, but he received little back up from his race partners all night, which left the Rebels unable to make any in-roads into the Monarchs’ lead.

Somerset were 25-11 down at the halfway stage and nominated Sam Masters as a double point tactical ride. His task was made easier when Edinburgh’s Tully was excluded for a tapes offence and started the re-run off a 15-metre handicap.

Although Masters duly won the heat to give the Rebels a much-needed six points, Tully had caught and passed Somerset’s Christian Hefenbrock as the riders started the second lap.

Any lingering hopes Somerset had of salvaging something from the match were extinguished in heat 11.

Gathercole ended a miserable night by falling heavily on the opening lap, suffering rib injuries that forced him out of the meeting, and from there it was going to be a case of how many the Monarchs would win by.

The fans were treated to a classic four laps of racing in heat 13 as Shane Parker used his Armadale experience to hold off the unbeaten Edinburgh number one Ryan Fisher, ruining the American’s chances of another maximum.

The match ended as it had started with a maximum 5-1 race win for the Monarchs. Fisher and Wölbert gained revenge over Shane Parker for the earlier defeats he had inflicted on both of the Edinburgh riders, leaving Somerset riders to head back on the long drive south on the back of this 23 point defeat.