SCOTWASTE MONARCHS AIM FOR THE TOP

NEWS Wednesday 10th September 2014, 7:49pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs have four matches in three days this weekend (racing at Armadale on both Friday and Saturday) which will decide by Sunday evening what the Premier Playoff groups will be.

The top two teams are seeded and will choose their opponents, and Monarchs have the chance to come top of the pile even though they will not have raced two of their away fixtures (Workington and Sheffield). They need to take ten points from the Armadale matches against Redcar and Glasgow (Friday 7pm) and Newcastle (Saturday 7pm) plus the visit to Glasgow (Sunday 5pm).

ARMADALE START TIMES: Please note the earlier start times of our weekend matches. On Friday the double header starts at 7.00pm and gates are open at 6.15pm.

On Saturday the meeting starts at 7.00 also but the gates are open at 5.45 with the Speedway Grand Prix on in the bar.

ADMISSION ARRANGEMENTS: We have tried to cater for all requirements for supporters who want to attend one, two or three of the matches over the two days at Armadale.

Complete details are available elsewhere on the website.

AUTHOR VISITS: Renowned speedway author Jeff Scott will visit Armadale on Friday with copies of his latest book "Strictly Shale: Circling British Speedway"

It’s a collection of photos capturing the unique atmosphere of speedway.

Jeff Scott (photographer) & Rachael Adams (editor)

Paperback, £15.00, 186 pages, 172 colour photographs

THE TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCHES AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 12th SEPTEMBER (start time 7.00, doors open 6.15) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS; Craig Cook, Justin Sedgmen, Max Fricke, Stevie Worrall, Sam Masters, Aaron Fox, Derek Sneddon (capt.)

REDCAR BEARS: Richard Lawson, Mark Lemon, Carl Wilkinson, High Skidmore, Aaron Summers, Jan Graversen, Rafal Konopka.

GLASGOW TIGERS: Victor Palovaara, Theo Pijper (capt.), Kevin Wolbert, Tero Aarnio, Rusty Harrison, Kasper Lykke, Jan Graversen (guest).

A FAIR YEAR FOR THE BEARS: Redcar have done quite well this season though they have fallen just short of a Playoff place. They are also a team with a very good Armadale record, in fact they won on their last visit!

This admittedly was back in June 2013, but Aaron Summers, Hugh Skidmore and Carl Wilkinson were all in their side that night.

Summers and Richard Lawson have been their stars this season with the others chipping in. Their hopes of an even better season were damaged early on when Kozza Smith decided that he didn’t want to come over from Australia.

TIGERS STILL IN THE HUNT: It’s not impossible that Glasgow could still make the Playoffs – at this point (Wednesday afternoon) they are only tenth but they are 5 points off sixth place. They would need to beat Monarchs home and away to give themselves a chance, and that may not seem likely, but in speedway (especially a double header) you can’t rule anything out.

Tigers let victory slip from their grasp at Peterborough on Tuesday, a win there would have given them a better opportunity.

They have done well to get close and their home form recently has been very strong. Experienced men Rusty Harrison, Theo Pijper and Kevin Wolbert have been hard to beat on their own track but inconsistent away.

They have Scandinavian backup from Dane Kasper Lykke (perhaps their biggest success this season), Finn Tero Aarnio who has replaced Anders Thomsen, and Swedish signing Victor Palovaara who is undoubtedly talented but has taken time to settle.

Their guest number 7 is another Dane Jan Graversen who rides in both matches on the night,

THE TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON SATURDAY 13th SEPTEMBER (start time 7.00, doors open 5.45) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS; Craig Cook, Justin Sedgmen, Max Fricke, Stevie Worrall, Sam Masters, Aaron Fox, Derek Sneddon (capt.)

NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS: Danny King, rider replacement for Lewis Rose, Stuart Robson, Lewis Kerr, Ludvig Lindgren, Simon Nielsen, Rafal Konopka (guest).

UNLUCKY DIAMONDS: Newcastle have been successful visitors to Armadale over the years, and they do have some top riders in their side, but they have not had much luck with injuries recently.

The problem is that the riders they have had missing are tough to replace. Lewis Rose had been doing very well even though he was forced into the top five by team changes, but now that he is out the reserves have to bear the brunt of the rider replacement rides. And there most experienced reserve Chris Mills has now been ruled out as well with serious injuries after a crash last weekend.

However Great Britain World Cup man Danny King, veteran entertainer Stuart Robson, unpredictable Swede Ludvig Lindgren and British prospect Lewis Kerr are certainly capable of providing bags of entertainment and plenty of points.

LAST MEETING: Last Friday the Scotwaste Monarchs easily beat Sheffield 67-27 at Armadale even though Steve Worrall was ruled out by injury in his first ride.

NEXT MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs will race their first home Premier Playoff match at Armadale on Friday 19th September.