Section-topping Bandits come to Armadale

NEWS Wednesday 1st May 2019, 5:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Friday's visitors to Armadale in the Championship Shield are Berwick Bandits, currently leading the 4-team section after wins home and away against Newcastle and a home win over Glasgow. The Staggs Bar Monarchs of course are looking for as many points from the weekend home and away matches as they can get to keep alive their own chances in the section.

Berwick will be without Nikolai Busk Jakobsen (riding in Denmark) and Jye Etheridge (injured) but appear to be pretty well-served by the replacement options. They have track specialist Josh Bates in for Jakobsen, and a rider replacement for Etheridge which allows extra races for all their riders bar Aaron Summers.

Monarchs' team manager Alex Harkess looked forward to the weekend's matches as well as remembering the Bandits' visit last September which resulted in a 6-point away win! "We need to improve our performance throughout the team. As for the home match, I feel we have a score to settle. We didn't do ourselves justice last September racing in very wet conditions, and the Bandits came here and turned us over. We need a solid home win.

"We can worry about the away match later, going to Berwick is never easy these days but we must get the home win first. Berwick are topping our section at the moment because they have started strongly this season, we need everyone at their best to get the results we are looking for."

On Saturday Monarchs race the return fixture at Shielfield Park.

THIS WEEK'S MEETINGS:

Friday 3rd May: Staggs Bar Monarchs v Berwick (Championship Shield), 7:30pm

STAGGS BAR MONARCHS: Ricky Wells (capt.), Justin Sedgmen, Josh Pickering, Joel Andersson, Cameron Heeps, William Lawson, Luke Ruddick.

BERWICK MIKE HOPE OF WOOLER LTD BANDITS: Aaron Summers, rider replacement for Jye Etheridge, Dany Gappmaier, Kevin Doolan (capt.), Josh Bates (guest), Coty Garcia, Leon Flint.

Saturday 4th May: Berwick v Staggs Bar Monarchs (Championship Shield), 7.30pm. Kyle Howarth guesting for Jakobsen.

ADDITIONAL FIXTURE: Armadale will now stage the second leg of the Knockout Cup quarter final against Scunthorpe on Saturday May 11th at 7pm. Scunthorpe lead by 8 from the first leg.

Full Result Details