Rye House Rockets 61 Newcastle Diamonds 32THE Rockets brushed aside an outclassed Newcastle outfit at Rye House on Saturday night in the Premier League.

Rye House Rockets 61 Newcastle Diamonds 32

THE Rockets brushed aside an outclassed Newcastle outfit at Rye House on Saturday night in the Premier League.

Sunday, June 21 is technically the longest day of the year, but on Saturday night the Diamonds must have frequently felt that that moment had arrived early.

The Tynesiders were simply picked apart by a Silver Ski Rockets team that performed as a solid unit to snare 12 of the 15 race wins and no less than seven 5-1 advantages to soar past the 60 point mark for the third time this season.

The standout for Rye was guest Jason Lyons, whose five ride maximum fully showcased his experience and track skills. The former double overseas champion led from the front, helped shepherd his partner Tommy Allen home to a 5-1 with expert team riding and also produced two tremendous passes from the back.

The first came in heat 13, when Lyons somehow found the narrowest of gaps to squeeze outside the exciting Kenni Larsen coming off the fourth bend.

The second came when a similar manoeuvre in the same patch of track saw him past the same opposition in the nominated heat.

Not far behind in the performance stakes were Andrew Silver and Luke Bowen.

Veteran Silver contributed perhaps his best performance so far since making his racing comeback after a 15-year absence.

Hi Ho Silver romped to two wins and 12 paid points.

He is clearly now at one with his machinery after playing catch-up with technology through his lengthy absence.

Silver also showed the confidence to mix it when the racing gets close and tight.

Bowen, meanwhile, dropped just a single point in five starts, although his best ride was possibly the one that got away.

The Harlow racer chased down Kenni Larsen over four laps in heat 11, and although he was unable to find a way past the Dane, the determination and effort he showed epitomises what his 2009 has now become.

While all six Rockets won races and were pointless in just three, Newcastle were effectively a two-man side.

Kenni Larsen did much to stabilise the Diamonds with two race wins and those exciting clashes with Lyons to show in his 15 point total.

Jason King's persistence, meanwhile, was rewarded with a win and seven points.

That was about it for the visitors, though, with their next highest scorer managing just three points, although they weren't helped by an early fall by newcomer Rene Bach.

The 19-year-old, who top-scored on his Newcastle debut the previous night at Somerset, went down heavily when outside fellow Scandinavian Linus Sundstrom in heat four and never really looked the same thereafter.

MEANWHILE the Silver Ski Rockets' reward for edging past 2008 winners Somerset in the Knock-Out Cup a week ago will be a semi-final tie against Edinburgh.

The Monarchs blasted Workington 56-34 at Armadale on Friday night, and then held the Comets to a 47-43 scoreline in Cumbria last night (Saturday) to go through on aggregate by a comfortable 18-point margin.

Dates for the two fixtures will be announced shortly.