Pep

This match could go to the wire - make no mistake, the 'we don't care if we get beat' Monarchs aren't fooling anybody and will definitely be up for this one. I'll sit on the fence and say 45-45.

Sheffield look decent so far but the acid test will come at the smaller tracks. I think Owlerton suits Berge but will be interesting to see how he does at the likes of Rye House and Armadale.

Can someone translate into English please?

Another job well done by Agent Fisher - cheque #2 in the post.

Certain clubs seem to be able to cut their cloth accordingly whereas others can't help themselves and blindly go after on track success regardless of the longterm consequences. Edinburgh are a prime example. Nobody can question their record when it comes to gathering silverware in the modern era with five league championships since the new millennium. However, how many times have Harkess & Campbell been out with the begging bowl? Is the the thought of not being top dog too much for them to bear? They are incredibly lucky to have such a loyal support who have dug deep on numerous occasions - they even have a fans trust now who are doing some fantastic work in the background. I hope things at Plymouth improve but the cost base for PL clubs nowadays suggest that crowds of 400/500 are going to be nowhere near enough to sustain racing at that level.

Nike Lunna looked to have Masters well beaten in the original running of heat 1 before Etheridge fell off.

Correct me if I'm wrong but the Tigers defeated the Monarchs on four separate occasions last season - today was hardly a new phenomenon. Not bothered about the result?! Don't think I've heard that statement when you have won your first match of the season against us in the past. Can't say I share your optimism for the Monarchs as things stand. Masters had 4 good wins and looked fast but was lucky to get a second bite of the cherry in heat 1 when Etheridge decided to test the air fence - Nike was well ahead after an excellent gate and opening couple of bends. Etheridge earned both of his exclusions for crashing into the 3rd / 4th bend fence - I must have missed him riding a tight line. Agent Fisher did his job sublimely - cheque in the post. The Germans probably did as expected - Riss caught a break when Ben shed a chain on the final bend in heat 14. Clegg made a couple of decent gates but was easily picked off - the Edinburgh director who was sneering at Danny Ayres failure to score at Swindon on Thursday night would have enjoyed his performance today. Bewley looks massively out of his depth. I can see why he was advised to wait another year before racing in the PL - not sure how he missed the fence on one occasion and when he did crash was lucky it wasn't worse. Looking forward to the return a week on Friday - maybe since you'll have had a few matches by then the result will matter?