TOPINKA GUESTS AGAIN

NEWS Tuesday 3rd June 2008, 9:28am

by PR Team

  Edinburgh Monarchs

"Tomas Topinka was a successful guest for Monarchs in the Cup last week and he comes in again for William Lawson on Friday.

The Scotwaste Monarchs have now added the semi-finals of the Knockout Cup to the semi-finals of the Premier Trophy for their later consideration, and return to the business of putting pressure on the two teams above them in the Premier League.

Monarchs have matches in hand over both Somerset and Workington, and this Friday take on the Isle of Wight at Armadale Stadium. The Islanders themselves are well placed with one away win so far, and lost narrowly by 2 points at Berwick last Saturday.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 6th JUNE (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

MONARCHS: Thomas Topinka, Ryan Fisher, Derek Sneddon, rider replacement for Thomas Jonasson, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully, Aaron Summers.

ISLE OF WIGHT ISLANDERS: Jason Bunyan, Corey Gathercole, Glen Phillips, rider replacement for Paul Fry, Krzysztof Stojanowski, Andrew Bargh, guest replacement for James Holder.

ISLANDERS REPLACEMENT AWAITED: Both teams will be missing regular riders for Friday and news is awaited on the identity of two replacement riders.

Monarchs will use Thomas Topinka as guest for William Lawson who will be en route to the World Under-21 team Championship, representing Great Britain in the Czech Republic.

Thomas Jonasson rides for Sweden in the same event and rider replacement will operate for him.

On the Islanders side they will use rider replacement for veteran Paul Fry, and James Holder is likely to be missing at reserve having recently broken a bone in his hand. A guest of a lower average will ride.

UNDER-21 NEWS: Neither Thomas Jonasson nor Andrew Tully was successful in their bid to reach the World Under-21 semi-finals.

A bitterly disappointed Thomas Jonasson won his first two heats in the Nordic Under-21 Final, and led his third race till be developed a bike problem and had a following rider crash into him. His total of 8 was not enough.

Andrew Tully also had problems in one race in his round in Germany and finished on 6 points.

WILLIAM IN GB SQUAD: It is many years since a Monarchs' rider was selected for a full Great Britain squad ? probably George Hunter and Doug Templeton in the sixties were the last ? but William Lawson is in the 12-man selection from which the GB side for the World Cup will be picked.

SPONSOR ON FRIDAY@ Sponsorship for Friday's match comes from a special birthday party being held in the George Hunter Memorial Lounge.

FULL THROTTLE ISLANDERS: This year's Isle of Wight team is, like Edinburgh's, based on solidity rather than powerful heat leaders.

This is a change for a team who have tracked Chris Holder, Adam Shields, Craig Boyce and Danny Bird in recent seasons, but it seems to be paying off for them.

Jason Bunyan is probably their best Armadale rider on past form but Krzysztof Stojanowski, Glen Phillips and Corey Gathercole are also in good form.

As well as their away win at Mildenhall, they have gone down by just two at both Berwick and Reading and were especially unlucky at Reading to lose.

Monarchs switch their pairings a bit this week but with two riders missing it may not be their final settled lineup in future matches.

LAST WEEK'S MEETING: Monarchs recorded a 55-38 win over Redcar for the second night in succession in the Knockout Cup quarter final. William Lawson was top scorer with a 15 point maximum.

NEXT WEEK'S MEETING: The visitors to Armadale on Friday 13th June will be Reading Racers in the first leg of the Premier Trophy semi-finals.

Full Result Details