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Somerset Rebels v Rye House Rockets
PL Playoff (QF), 29 September 2006
Oak Tree Arena, Somerset

Somerset 45
1Magnus Zetterstrom23333 3.170
2Glen Phillips1*11RM ..31
3Stephan Katt0011*0 ..21
4Emil Kramer21232* 1.111
6Simon Walker3000. ..30
7Ben Barker2*0223 ..91
Rye House 45
1Edward Kennett331*22 ..111
2Stuart RobsonR2*32. ..71
3Steve Boxall33230 ..110
4Tommy Allen111*Fx. ..31
5Chris Neath3221*. ..81
6(g)Daniel Giffard0001. ..10
7(g)Ben Powell12*10. ..41

* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).

Somerset were again missing Glenn Cunningham and used R/R at number 5 while Rye House welcomed back Stuart Robson to the side, replacing Lee Smethills, and had Daniel Giffard at number 6 as a guest for the injured Adam Roynon.

Somerset started brightly enough by taking an early four point lead but they were soon in trouble as Rye House turned the tables by blitzing their way to a six point lead which they held for most of the match. It took a fortunate 5-1, 4-2 finish by the Rebels to escape with a draw. The Rockets’ joy at welcoming Stuart Robson back after his injuries was tempered by the events of heat 14. Once again Rye House’s injury jinx just will not leave them alone and the crash between Tommy Allen and Ben Powell means that both will be missing for the second leg.

Edward Kennett headed home Magnus Zetterstrom from gate 1 in the opening race but Stuart Robson withdrew with a machine problem so the points were shared. The reserves race resulted in an easy 5-1 to the Rebels so they took a four point lead only to lose 10 points over the next three heats. Steve Boxall won heat 3 from Emil Kramer while Tommy Allen’s third place gave the Rockets a 2-4 to trail by just two. Then in heat 4 Rye House hit the home side with a 1-5. Chris Neath won the heat comfortably but Ben Powell and Glen Phillips had a close scrap for second place with the Rye House reserve winning it. This took the score after the opening four heats to 11-13.

The Rockets struck home with another 1-5 in heat 5. This time it was the formidable Kennett/Robson pairing who produced the goods leaving Kramer to pick up the odd point as Rye House romped into a six point lead. Somerset pulled two points back in heat 6 when Zetterstrom beat Chris Neath with Glen Phillips third for a 4-2 but Rye House countered that with a 2-4 in heat 7 when Emil Kramer could only split the Boxall/Allen pairing. Rye House then increased their lead to eight points in heat 8 when Stuart Robson won from Ben Barker and Ben Powell after Glen Phillips had an engine failure at the start. The score now stood at 20-28 and things were not looking good for the Rebels.

They pulled two points back in heat 9 though when Emil Kramer raced off to for the win. It looked as though they might take a maximum from the heat but Chris Neath passed Stephan Katt on the second lap so they had to settle for a 4-2. With Magnus Zetterstrom due out in four of the last six races the Rebels were not without hope and Zetterstrom started this run with a win from the back in heat 10. Unfortunately for the home side Glen Phillips had been excluded under the two minute rule and they gained no advantage when Boxall and Allen filled the minor places. Zetterstrom had to pass Stuart Robson to win heat 11 but, with Edward Kennett third, again the race was shared. In heat 12 Steve Boxall stormed off to win from the gate. Behind him Ben Barker and Stephan Katt both passed Ben Powell so again the race was shared and the score stood at 33-39.

Zetterstrom won heat 13 but Edward Kennett and Chris Neath shared the points behind him as Somerset just couldn’t get back on terms. Things changed in heat 14 though. It looked as though Rye House might add another 1-5 to their score when Tommy Allen and Ben Powell led the race. However Tommy Allen fell on the fourth bend on the first lap and Ben Powell ploughed into him and was thrown into the fence. Although both riders were able to get back to the pits under their own steam they both suffered injuries which will keep them out of the second leg tomorrow night. Daniel Giffard was Rye House’s sole representative in the rerun and Ben Barker and Emil Kramer cashed in with a 5-1 which cut the Rockets’ lead to two points going into the last heat. Magnus Zetterstrom scored his fifth consecutive win in heat 15 beating Edward Kennett into second place. Emil Kramer beat Steve Boxall for the third place point so the Rebels at last pulled level to tie the match. There won’t be a rush to place money on Somerset to win through on aggregate though.

Match Report by Merlin