Monarchs put up a fight at Blunsden to restrict the home team to an eight-point lead. This leaves all to play for at Armadale on Fiday night.
As ever it was Peter Carr and Robert Eriksson who led the way for Monarchs. Carr scored a magnificent 17 points from six rides while Eriksson came up with 14 points from six. Will Beveridge produced 4 points from five rides. Kevin Little took 4 points from six rides. Christian Henry scored 2 paid 4 from three rides including a two minute exclusion in heat 2. Blair Scott failed to score from four rides. Monarchs operated rider replacement for Ross Brady.
Monarchs found themselves 6 points after three heats despite Robert Eriksson winning heat 1. A 5-1 followed in heat 2 after Christian Henry failed to get his bike going and Will Beveridge trailed on Kevin Little's bike. Then Neil Collins inflicted the only defeat of the night on Peter Carr to earn a 4-2. A run of tied heats followed until Robert Eriksson won heat 8 as a tactical substitute and cut the lead back to 26-22.
Swindon then hit back with a 5-1 in heat 9 and Paul Fry won heat 11 to earn another heat advantage to strench the lead to 10 points. Heat advantages were swopped in the next two races and Monarchs went into the last two heats 44-34 down. Peter Carr won heat 14 but that was tied. Carr gated in heat 15 with Eriksson at the back. Robert was able to pass Neil Collins to trim the lead back to eight points.
Monarchs came back from an early eight-point deficit in the Premier League match at Armadale to beat Swindon. So Monarchs will be confident of an aggregate win if they don't give too many points away.