Cup Tie A Hard Match To Predict

Buoyed by our excellent victory at Redcar last night we move onto Knockout Cup quarter final action and the small matter of a visit from the Glasgow Allied Vehicle Tigers.

Due to a mixture of the weather and the League Cup this is the 6th scheduled match up of the two teams so far this season and I’m not going to lie I am running out of things to say (still at least 2 more previews to go against them after this one you say oh jeez).

Glasgow have perhaps had the better of us on track so far this season having defeated us 56-37 in the League Cup and 51-39 in a pulsating Sky televised encounter at Ashfield with the Monarchs turning out 46-43 in the return leg of the League Cup back at the beginning of May. As in most sports form goes out of the window when a derby rolls around and with changes to both teams it is a hard match to predict.

The home men are forced into one change with Max Clegg being called into Elite League action we welcome back 2015 league winner Rob Branford. Rob was a firm fans favourite last year both for his exciting performances on track and for his personality off track and it is fair to say he would have been back in the Monarchs septet this year if not for the fat track reserve rule. Rob has been picking up guest bookings at regular intervals recently (including scoring 6+1 against us last night at Redcar) and if he continues his recent form he will be snapped up sharpish one would presume.

The visitors are forced into a pair of changes. Firstly Richie Worrall misses out due to Elite League commitments also. Coming in to replace Richie is Redcar’s Lasse Bjerre. As I mentioned in my preview for last night’s match it would be fair to say that Bjerre is having a very disappointing season by his own high standards but he is always capable of popping up with a heat victory although it would be surprising if he matched the scoring power of Worrall who is on scintillating form just now.

The second change for Glasgow comes at reserve where Nike Lunna is still recovering from a broken hand. The young Finn is replaced by Workington’s Matt Williamson. Williamson was an impressive visitor earlier in the season with a score of paid 7 including a heat 2 win. Lunna is yet to set Armadale alight so it could be argued this change is a bit of a wash.

With the changes in it could be that Glasgow will look to their old guard of Lawson and Summers for the bulk of their scoring and these pair will be looking for revenge after being knocked out of the Pairs at the semi final stage by Masters and Fisher last week. The battles at the top end will be hotly contested as both teams look to show their superiority.

As always in a two legged tie no tactical rules apply so we will be looking to build a decent league to take to Ashfield for the second leg particularly as mentioned we have been victim to two double figure defeats so far this season.

Edinburgh Border Roofing Monarchs

1- Sam Masters (Capt)

2- Mark Riss

3- Erik Riss

4- Ryan Fisher

5- Kevin Wolbert

6- Rob Branford (Guest)

7- Dan Bewley

Glasgow Allied Vehicle Tigers

1- Richard Lawson

2- Rene Bach

3- Lasse Bjerre (Guest)

4- Fernando Garcia

5- Aaron Summers (Capt)

6- Matt Williamson (Guest)

7- Danny Ayres