Edinburgh Monarchs 51 - 39 Rye House Rockets: Rocked by Rye House

After a jittery and none-too-convincing first half, which saw them produce just three race winners, Monarchs fought back to carve out a 51-39 victory, but this still gives them plenty to do in tonight's return leg at the demanding Hoddesdon circuit.

Monarchs skipper Matthew Wethers, who was battered and bruised after two crashes, certainly didn't express any great optimism that his side will progress to the quarter finals, saying: "A twelve-point lead may be good enough, but I don't think it will."

After opening up with a 5-1 from Ryan Fisher and Jozsef Tabaka, Monarchs pressed the self-destruct button as they gifted their visitors far too many cheap points which ultimately could come back to haunt them.

The giveaway started in heat four when Andrew Tully fell enabling the Rockets to pick up a 4-2 advantage courtesy of top scorer Linus Sundstrom and Gary Beaton, who replaced the injured Kyle Hughes.

Tabaka, who looked a lot sparkier than he has done of late, then tumbled off on the second bend in the sixth race and again the Rockets were grateful recipients of a 4-2.

Tabaka, who was certainly worth more than his final four-point tally, was in the wars again two heats later.

The Hungarian tried just a little too hard to overhaul Stefan Ekberg coming out of the fourth bend and was sent sprawling on the home straight.

The scores were level, 24-24 at this stage and some harboured doubts whether Monarchs were even capable of winning their home leg, despite another virtuoso display from Kalle Katajisto, who mopped up 16 points from seven rides at reserve.

But the Rockets failed to lift off in the second half and this allowed Monarchs to stage a doughty rearguard action which keeps the door ajar – but no more.

Monarchs grabbed a 5-1 in heat nine even although Wethers tangled with Sundstrom on the fourth bend, and this proved such a tonic. But it was nothing compared to the heat-11 contest which coaxed a revelatory ride from 16-year-old Kyle Howarth, who was guesting for Monarchs' injured German Max Dilger.

Howarth amazingly kept Rockets No.1 Chris Neath in third place as he followed team-mate Andrew Tully home for a further 5-1 success which put Monarchs in front 38-28 despite all their earlier tribulations.

Howarth won Man of the Match for his effort and the youngster said: "I was so focused in that race and to get a 5-1 with Andrew was great, I really enjoyed that.

"I certainly didn't expect to beat Chris, but I made a good gate and I just rode my bike and simply wanted to made sure I stayed on it.

"It paid off, it was awesome."

Howarth added: "I didn't look behind me in case I made a mistake. I scored three points in total and I was happy with that and I just hope I can do the same tonight. But Rye House are a good side round their own track and it is going to be tough for us."

The Rockets halted Monarchs' onslaught with a 4-2 in heat 13 and critically did the same in the final race after Wethers came to grief on the second bend.

Jordan Frampton, who scored nine points including one win over Wethers and Tabaka in heat three, feels his side can claw back their deficit.

"After my first ride, I struggled from the gate even although I felt good on the track", he said. "So I changed a few things on my bike to make me get out of the gate faster, but it didn't work, and this probably summed up the story of the rest of the boys.

"I was lucky to get a point in the last race when Wethers came off and I was mad at myself for touching the tapes which saw me start off 15 metres.

"I don't particularly enjoy Armadale, it's a tight tricky track and it's all about making the starts.But we know the racing lines round our own circuit and some of the Edinburgh lads who are new, may not be clued up, so this should give us an advantage for us to turn the tables."

Monarchs: Katajisto 16, Fisher 12, Wethers 8, Tully 8, Tabaka 4, Howarth 3.

Rye House Rockets: Sundstrom 12, Frampton 9, Shields 6, Neath 6, Beaton 2, Ekberg 2, Bowen 2.