Bandits Need Repelled

PREVIEW Friday 9th July 2021, 11:30am

by Jim MIlton

  Edinburgh Monarchs

It might be a fortnight since the Monarchs last turned a wheel in anger, but the "Scunny Weekender" remains fresh in the mind. Perhaps too fresh. It was certainly a story of highs and lows for the capital outfit.

At home on the Friday night it was pretty much business as usual with an Edinburgh win, although the 52-38 score line perhaps masks how difficult Scunthorpe made it for the hosts. With three heats to go, the Lincolnshire outfit trailed by just four points having kept within touching distance all night.

Outstanding work from Sam and Ritchie in Heats 13 and 15 stretched that lead to the tune of two 5-1s, however, and with Josh and Joe weighing in with a handy 4-2 in the penultimate race, there was to be no consolation point for the hard-working Scorpions.

All three heat leaders maintained their fine current form with double-figure returns, but alas, two days later, it was to be a vastly different story. Despite forging ahead with an opening heat 4-2, Pijper and Aarnio's 5-1 four heats later opened up a margin that was only ever going to increase as the meeting progressed. Indeed, by the end, Scunthorpe's winning score line had grown sufficiently to exceed the Monarchs of the day before.

This was Edinburgh's first defeat of the season and it's one they will hope to shrug off when near-ish neighbours Berwick provide the opposition for this weekend's latest double-header. As things stand, the Borderers sit fifth in the Championship table two points beneath Edinburgh in third, although the Monarchs have three meetings in hand.

Just one glance though at the Bandits' line-up for 2021 tells you everything you need to know about their quality. There is strength in abundance throughout the team.

Aussie and former Monarch Jye Etheridge has gone from strength to strength since leaving West Lothian in 2016 and although his current average (7.34) is only slightly up on the start of the season, the increase has been enough to elevate him to the team's No.1. Doubling up in the Premiership with Belle Vue, Jye's Aces average sits at a healthy 6.55, just above that of our own Richie Worrall.

Etheridge's fellow heat leaders at Shielfield Park, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen and Aaron Summers may have less than earth-shattering averages (7.03 and 6.85 respectively), but few will be fooled by that.

Born February 1994 in Viborg, Denmark, Nikolaj has been a Bandit since 2018 and, although injury has blighted his career on and off, on his day he is inordinately capable of great things.

Like his Danish team-mate, Aaron Summers joined Berwick in 2018. Hailing from Adelaide, South Australia, the 33-year-old possesses an incredible depth of experience in British speedway since making his debut way back in 2007 with Buxton Hitmen. His UK clubs' number 12 including Edinburgh with whom he spent seasons 2007 to 2009, winning a Premier Trophy and the Play-offs twice.

One man in the Bandits' line-up who makes Jakobsen, and Summers look like relative newcomers to Tweedside is the affable Austrian, Dany Gappmaier. Born September 1991 in Salzburg, Dany first arrived at Berwick in 2016 and has enjoyed an unbroken spell with the club ever since. Ever-popular with the Berwick fans (and beyond), "The Gap" will certainly be one to mind on Friday.

Coty Garcia's extended stay in his Argentinian homeland has finally forced boss Gary Flint's hand in finding a replacement and making his Bandits' debut on Friday will be 22-year-old former King's Lynn and Sheffield ace Kasper Andersen. Starved of recent race action due to permit issues, the Dane will be keen to hit the ground running with his new club.

At reserve, Berwick can claim two of the country's most exciting youngsters in Rising Star Leon Flint and Kyle Bickley whose added involvement as team-mates with Berwick Bullets in the National League should be advantageous to their development through both continuity and familiarity.

So, it looks like another tough test for a Monarchs side navigating their own recent line-up reshuffles. Updated average figures have triggered William Lawson's move up to the main body of the side while Kye Thomson drops down to reserve. And with Joe Lawlor still self-isolating, Jack Smith and Drew Kemp will guest at Armadale on Friday and Berwick on Saturday respectively.

Tickets are still available from the Monarchs website and will also be available from the Box Office outside the stadium from an hour before start-time, for those unable to attend them the live stream is available from the EMTV link on the website also.

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