MONARCHS ON A MISSION

NEWS Thursday 2nd October 2014, 10:24pm

by Toby Lerone

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs are on a mission to qualify for all three finals of the major team competitions in the Premier League in 2014. We are already there for two of them, the League Cup and the Premier Play-offs and on Friday night we hope to move closer to the third, the Knock Out Cup Final.

There has been a significant improvement in the weather forecast for Friday as each hour has passed on Thursday and there is now an excellent chance that the forecast rain will clear away much earlier than expected and allow the meeting to go ahead. It also appears that there will be much less rain than expected carried along on a very high wind.

The Scotwaste Monarchs have no injury worries for the meeting with both Derek Sneddon and Aaron Fox much better after in juries last weekend.

Newcastle Diamonds are not so lucky. There long term injuries absentees, Lewis Rose and Chris Mills, have been joined by Lewis Kerr on the injury list. Rider replacement covers for Lewis Rose. The Diamonds have experienced the same problem that we have suffered in the past. They are eligible to replace Chris Mills with a Premier League guest but they have not been able to find one and Max Clegg at reserve. Lewis Kerr will be the most difficult man to replace. He scored 13 at Armadale just three weeks ago. Theo Pijper takes his place and although he has shown himself to be capable of high scoring at Armadale he may struggle to match Kerr's last score.

The second leg takes place on Sunday week.

There was only one speedway meeting in the UK on Thursday and that was a Premier Play-off match at Ipswich. The Witches defeated an injury ravaged Somerset Rebels team by 57 to 39. If Ipswich win or draw at Scunthorpe on Friday night then they will qualify to meet us in the Final. If they lose then it will all come down to the Somerset v Ipswich clash next Friday.