Can The Tigers Be Tamed

PREVIEW Thursday 5th May 2016, 5:43pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

So yet again there was only one winner last week and that was the weather. The end of April and we lose a match to snow almost unbelievable!

We go again this week and matches don’t come much tougher as we welcome our nearest and dearest the Glasgow ‘Allied Vehicle’ Tigers in the concluding match of the ‘Border’ group in the League Cup. Much has been written and said about the Tigers (not least by me in two previous previews so I’ll keep this brief) since they announced the septet that they hope will propel them to glory and so far they are living up to their billing as the pre season favourites having already qualified from the aforementioned group into the Semi finals of the League Cup and started their assault on the Premier League with two resounding wins at home over Redcar and Peterborough.

Everyone was aware of how potent the Tigers top four would be this season and the pre-season questions surrounded the bottom three and if they would be able to back up the powerhouse top end. So far these questions have been answered and then some and star of the show for the Tigers has been Fernando Garcia. The young Argentinean is becoming somewhat of a folk hero to the fans with stories of his life living in a caravan behind the Ashfield stadium reaching the local press. Garcia is backing this up on the track though and is yet to dip below the 6 point mark in any of the Tigers official fixtures making a mockery of his 3 point starting average.

Garcia’s potency coupled with the heavy top end scoring of Richard Lawson, Aaron Summers and Ben Barker meant the Tigers were also able to withstand missing Richie Worrall for a couple of matches and still come away with a draw at Berwick and a home victory over Redcar. Many felt that with the make-up of the Glasgow team an injury for the number 4 man in their averages would leave them vulnerable but this was to prove unfounded and in fact the Ashfield men are yet to taste defeat after 5 official fixtures in league and cup so far this season.

Hoping to end that undefeated run are our home heroes the Border Roofing Monarchs. There has been a spell of inactivity for the Blue and Gold after last Friday’s postponement and the team haven’t ridden together since the heavy defeat at Workington almost two weeks ago. That’s not to say some of the boys have not been busy though. Sam of course doubles up with Wolverhampton this year and he continues to impress in the Elite League having bagged himself a couple of race wins in the Wolves home victory over Poole. Max is of course one of the busiest riders in British Speedway riding in all three leagues. He continues to impress with Cradley and while he is finding life a little sharp in the Elite League the experience can only do him good. Our Germans are regular top scorers in meetings back home and Dan has been picking up regular guest bookings in the National League acquitting himself well. Ryan and Jye have been left twiddling their thumbs somewhat but with both suffering early season engine gremlins this time off may have been appreciated to help them sort these out.

Both teams will hope to line-up with their advertised 1-7’s Richie Worrall having returned from injury last weekend to slot back into the number 4 slot in the Tigers line-up. The Monarchs originally had some doubts awaiting on if Dan would line-up at number 7 as Belle Vue are due to have a National League match at home to Mildenhall however an agreement has been reached and the young Cumbrian takes his place in the Monarchs line-up.

So as we go into the first Armadale derby of the season it has been said by some that this is a meaningless fixture as Glasgow have already progressed through to the semis. We all know there is no such thing as a meaningless derby though and both sides will be going hell for leather to come out with the bragging rights on what we hope will be a warm and summery Armadale on Friday night.

Full Result Details