Somerset out of play-offs. Rye through.

Both teams came to this 2nd leg playoff match with incomplete teams, and had to cope with a very tricky wet track after heavy rain in the area earlier in the day.

The Somerset "Mike Manning Audio" Rebels were without Glenn Cunningham (virus), and Stephan Katt, who as the new European Grasstrack Champion, had to fulfil an engagement for the FIM Longtrack Challenge, at Marmande in France. Newport's Chris Schramm deputised for Katt, with rider replacement operating for Cunningham. The Rye House "Silverski" Rockets had Tommy Allen, and Ben Powell missing after their Heat 14 crash the night before. Rider replacement covered Allen's absence, with Danny Betson slotting into Powell's reserve berth. The Rockets also tracked Barry Burchatt at Number 8.

The Rebels arrived with a tough task ahead of them after the 1st leg had finished all square, and their task wasn't made any easier after the first race. Heat one eventually got under way at the fifth attempt, minus one Rebel, Glen Phillips, and with Magnus Zetterstrom going from 15 meters, not the ideal start to any potential fightback. The original start was pulled back after Magnus Zetterstrom moved at the start, with many in the stadium convinced he had actually touched the tapes. Then a comedy of error followed, with Glen Phillips machine expiring at the start, Ben Barker, Phillips replacement, falling and being excluded, and finally Zorro was excluded for moving at the start, and having to start off 15 meters. So when attempt 5 actually got under way the home riders, Kennett and Robson, took an easy 5-1.

Simon Walker gave the small band of travelling fans some hope when he shot out of the gate to lead the reserves heat. he lead for three laps, before Dan Giffard came with a wet sail, and powered round the outside to lead going into the last lap. The Rebels took a share of the points when a very slow starting Ben Barker was gifted third spot by an out of control Danny Betson, late on in the race.

Another shared heat followed, when Emil Kramer, who will move to Number 5 in the new green sheets that come into force on Sunday, blasted away from the gates to lead from Giffard and Scrhamm. Steve Boxall missed the gate completely, but shot round the outside of bends one and two to grab second spot on the back straight. Schramm, in as a guest, pressured Giffard all the way, but could not find a way round him.

The Rebels suffered a double blow in Heat 4, with Glen Phillips falling on the final bend of the opening lap, and injuring his elbow. He took no further part in the meeting. Then in the re-run Ben Barker fell in the same area of the track, and was excluded, leaving the Rockets' Neath and Betson to take a 5-0 heat advantage. The Rebels hit back immediately when Magnus Zetterstrom made a great start to lead Steve Boxall away. The Rockets sensation chased Zorro hard, but could never make inroads into the Rebels skipper's lead. Ben Barker took the minor points to give the Rebels a 2-4 advantage.

The Rockets hit back immediately, when Edward Kennett continued his great form blasting off the line to lead from his race partner. Zorro, in as rider replacement, grabbed second on the back straight, leaving Robson to fend off the attentions of a hard charging Simon Walker to take a 4-2 for the home side. This years' Rebels are nothing if not tenacious when they have their backs against the wall, and they showed their spirit in Heat 7, with a well deserved 1-5 advantage. Emil Kramer once again made a blinding start to lead from the tapes, meanwhile Chris Schramm had made a good start, and saw off the challenge of the Rockets "Mr Bigstuff", Chris Neath. Schramm rode a superb race to hold the Rockets captain, who knows every inch of the Hoddesdon shale.

Simon Walker was another who rose to the task, as he took Heat 8, despite heavy pressure from the Rockets returning talisman, Stuart Robson. Walker made a great start to lead at the opening turn, and was given a serious inspection by Robson throughout the whole four laps, but Walker repelled anything Robson could throw at him. Ben Barker retired whilst in last place.

The Rebels further reduced the deficit in the next heat, as Emil Kramer took the rider replacement ride, and the win from Steve Boxall. Kramer repeated his earlier fast start to lead from the off. Steve Boxall got up his inside on the second turn, but Kramer held him off. Kramer almost threw it away in the closing stages of lap 3, when he was caught out by the track condition exiting the final bend. Boxall closed rapidly, but Kramer was soon back in control, and in the end easily held his lead. Simon Walker took third spot after Danny Betson slowed dramatically, bringing the deficit down to only 3-points.

The Rebels have always found the Rockets a tough proposition on their own circuit, and history seemed to be repeating itself as the home side pulled out three advantages in a row, one 5-1, and two 4-2's, to pull 11-points clear. Edward Kennett, and Stuart Robson started the ball rolling with the 5-1. Kennett made quick getaways to shut out the previously unbeaten Emil Kramer on the opening bend, and allow Robson to power around the outside off the Swede on the second turn. Kramer gave chase, but the damage was done on the wet track, and he eventually lost third spot to Chris Schramm.

Chris Neath took the scalp of Zorro in the next, but it looked as though he would have to play second fiddle as Zetterstrom came roaring around the outside of bend two. He almost made it, but Neath held him off, and went on to take the win, with Dan Giffard taking the minor points from the retired Ben Barker. Zorro had slowed up in an attempt to slow Giffard, but Barker retired before he could get in a challenging position. The Rebels must have thought they had saved some more points as Chris Schramm powered into the lead from the gate in Heat 12, but they had figured without Steve Boxall, who has swept all before him this season. Boxall was slowly away, and had to deal with Danny Betson before he could do anything about Schramm. He caught Betson running into the home straight on the first lap, and flew passed on the outside to set off after Schramm. It took him until the start of Lap 3 before he got on terms with the leader. He powered around the outside of Bend 2 to grab the lead, giving the Rockets a 4-2 in the process.

Mick Bell threw the "Black and White" into the ring in Heat 13, and it was inevitably Zorro who wore it. The race had to be started twice, as the first attempt was called back with Kennett falling on the first turn. A level break saw Kennett, Zorro, and Stuart Robson all arrive at the opening bend together, with the expected result of trying to fit three into the space of one, with Kennett being the loser. When the tapes rose for the second time, it was Zorro who made the best start, and won the race untroubled. The Rockets packed the places in front of Chris Schramm, in as rider replacement, to restrict the Rebels to a 3-6 advantage.

Mick Bell made a last throw of the dice in Heat 14, as he sent out Chris Schramm as a tactical Substitute off 15 metres. The Rebels needed Kramer to make a good start to slow the race for Schramm to come through, but he was led from the start by the two Rockets. Boxall took the lead at the first turn, with Kramer having to pass Dan Giffard on the back straight before he could grab second spot. By this time Boxall was gone, and Kramer was left with a futile chase. Schramm had unfortunately made a bad start, and was never in a position for his race partner to help him, he did make a good attempt to catch Giffard on the last lap, but fell on the last bend when throwing in a big blast around the boards.

With the tie now beyond them the Rebels ended the night with a flourish, but not before the race had to be re-started. In the original running Zorro made a fast start to lead from Ed Kennett. Kennett ran upsides Zorro down the back straight, but fell as he pressured the Somerset number 1 on the third turn. He was excluded, and the race re-run. In the re-run Zorro shot from the traps to lead from Stuart Robson. Emil Kramer cut inside Robson on the back straight to give the visitors a maximum to end the night. It was a fighting performance from the Somerset "Mike Manning Audio" Rebels, and one of their best ever results around the tight Hoddesdon circuit, but the damage was done the night before, when they were unable to make home advantage pay. The Rebels season will carry on though as they now face the Kings Lynn Stars in the Final of the PL KO Cup. Whatever the result the Somerset faithful will have seen their team produce the best ever season since joining the Premier League.