Sometimes speedway can be wonderfully cruel.
Plymouth Gladiators went into the meeting already facing an uphill battle, with Ben Barker ruled out through injury. Forced to operate Rider Replacement against one of the Championship's strongest sides, the Gladiators knew every rider would need to contribute if they were to keep Edinburgh at bay.
And for fourteen heats, they did exactly that.
Trailing by six points early in the meeting, Plymouth chipped away, race by race, until the scores were locked at 42-42 heading into the deciding heat. The St Boniface Arena sensed another famous home victory was within touching distance.
Instead, Edinburgh delivered the decisive blow.
Dan Thompson and Kye Thomson produced a perfectly timed 5-1 in Heat 15 to secure a 47-43 victory for the visitors. It was a cruel ending for a Gladiators side that had shown tremendous character throughout the evening despite operating without Barker.
Scott Nicholls was magnificent. Eighteen points from seven rides was an outstanding performance in every sense, repeatedly dragging Plymouth back into the contest whenever Edinburgh threatened to pull away. Time and again, the veteran answered every challenge the Monarchs threw at him.
Edinburgh, however, showed why they sit among the Championship's strongest sides. Dan Thompson looked completely at home on his former track, collecting 12 points, while every Monarch contributed at least one paid race win - a level of strength across the team that ultimately proved decisive.
The result hurts, but there was far more encouragement than disappointment on display. Despite missing Ben and asking the rest of the team to absorb the extra workload through Rider Replacement, Plymouth took one of the Championship's form teams right down to the final heat.
If the Gladiators continue to show this level of resilience, there will be many more nights when Heat 15 ends in celebration rather than heartbreak.
Photo credit: EBONY MARCH