Edinburgh Monarchs v Workington Comets

You can never be sure how a team will do with three riders missing, and it was hard going at times before the Scotwaste Monarchs came through with a good win over Workington.

David Howe proved to be a strong no. 1 and did the job we were looking for, while William Lawson was not quite at his best on his comeback from injury but still totalled a handy 9 from 5 rides.

Rider replacement for Tobias brought us 9+1 so really we have nothing to complain about! But up until we took a 5-1 in heat 10 the result seemed in some doubt, with the 3 points not being settled until a last heat 5-01 from Howe and Tully.

Heat 1 was very eventful as Comets gated, Compton fell on the second bend, and Katajisto shot past Harrison to lead. Kalle then fell off on the pits bend after locking up, and Howe took over to win with Kalle getting back on quickly enough to stay ahead of Compton.

Kenny Ingalls got off to a great start in heat 2, hitting the bends fast and fighting to turn. Kalle was just coming through when Max Dilger went down and brought off Richard Lason at the start of lap two. Poor Max, another tough night.

Kalle won the rerun easily enough but again Ingalls looked good.

Matthew Wethers was quickly into his stride in heat 3, with William Lawson in spite of a quick start slipping to the rear. He looked tentative on the inside line but managed to slip past Cook for a 4-2.

Heat 4 took three attempts to run ? and Tully fell in all of them! The first time, Katajisto pushed Ingalls across the bend and fell with Tully also coming off on the outside. Monarchs were very fortunate to get an all-four decision as either of their riders could have been ruled out.

Next time, our riders gated, but as Kalle moved out and Andrew moved in, the bumped hard and Andrew came down again. This time Kalle was out.

At the third attempt, the riders got into the bend and it looked as though Kildemand might have helped Tully off. However it was allowed to continue and we lost the heat 5-1, which was perhaps deserved in view of what had happened at the first attempt.

The scores were level, but not for long. William Lawson managed to get into the lead but he was riding slowly on the inside line, and was passed by Compton. Later in the heatHarrison had him under pressure but Lawson just held second. All this time Matthew Wethers, pushed out at the first turn, was floundering at the rear.

Two down, and into an interesting heat 6 with Lawson brought down at the first corner (Kildemand involved again) at the first attempt. Next time, we had an amazing first lap with Howe leading but slipping back to last as William Lawson came through from last to first! He looked much better and held off the ever-challenging Kildemand, while Howe came back into third past Richard Lawson.

That levelled the scores, and it stayed that way as Andrew Tully won heat 7.

We looked like going ahead in heat 8 with Wethers and Katajisto out in front, but Kalle got into trouble and slowed. It transpired that he got the sun in his eyes and could not see where he was going. He finished touring at the back and we had lost another two points.

Wethers again led heat 9, but William Lawson was at the back until Kildemand fell on the pits corner, which gave us a 2-point lead. Could we build on that?

Yes we could, Howe and Tully headed heat 10 and though it was an easy 5-1, you reach the stage where you are expecting something to go wrong! This time, it didn?t and we led 33-27.

Tully again took the race-winning responsibility in heat 11, with Harrison again looking good in second spot. This was Max Dilger?s third ride and he wasn?t in the hunt for points.

Heat 12 was also shared with Craig Cook finally coming good to lead from the first lap. Lawson and Katajisto shared it, with Kalle again having some hairy moments as he found position.

The start of heat 13 was not a good one, Kildemand getting a flier, indeed there were a few which a more diligent referee might have called back. The dashing Dane won it though David Howe got close by the end.

So we were six up, needing a shared heat to clinch the win. Kalle?s victory in heat 14 ensured it, with Matthew Wethers just squeezed out by Cook for second after a tough first lap.

We were then looking for another shared race in the last heat to take the three points, and we did better than that thanks to Howe and Tully who raced away for a 5-1. In the end 51-39 looks comfortable, but we really had to work for it!

Edinburgh Monarchs v Workington Comets

Fans will see not one but two very different looking sides on Friday when the Workington Thomas Armstrong Comets make their second Armadale appearance of the season, this time on Premier League business, having lost 55-38 on their previous visit.

For Monarchs, their first three riders from that first match are all missing. Ryan Fisher and Kevin Wolbert are riding in Denmark and Croatia respectively and Jozsef Tabaka was released last week having needed more time to settle into Premier League speedway than Monarchs could give him.

Jozsef's replacement, Tobias Busch looked impressive in his first two meetings in this country. However he is also riding even further abroad this weekend - in Russia - and with a shortage of direct buses from Armadale to Balakovo, his seven point slot will be filled by rider replacement.

Guesting at No.1 for Flyin' Ryan will be Scunthorpe's former Elite League star David Howe who once turned down an offer to ride for Edinburgh (the boy's a fool!). But David is really enjoying his speedway since dropping down to the Premier League and has bags of Armadale experience.

The guest at No.3 is that weel-kent face, William Lawson, now happily plying his trade in the Elite League with Belle Vue ? or at least he was until injuring his Achilles tendon in a crash during a home meeting nearly a month ago. Thanks go to the Aces for allowing Willie to begin his comeback here.

Only three of the Monarchs side will be familiar from the first match, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully and Max Dilger. Reserve sensation, Kalle Katajisto's place was taken by Cal McDade last time but Kalle's back on Friday and his points will be welcome since the Comets will be strong there too.

The Workington side track two new riders since their last visit. One-time Monarchs favourite, Rusty Harrison has come out of imposed retirement to take the place of the unlucky Adam Roynon, whose very public dispute with the Comets management seems to have been smoothed over.

Even more unexpected is the signing this week of young Californian rider Kenny Ingalls to replace the even more unlucky John Branney. Ingalls will be new to most tracks, unlike his new reserve partner Richard Lawson who is just as dangerous as Rusty was before he moved up to No.2.

A further change was the captaincy being swopped to Chris Schramm from Andre Compton who is being freed up to concentrate solely on his racing. A strong Comets line-up is completed by Cumbrian Craig Cook and Dane Peter Kildemand, who looked better than his points tally last time.

The season is definitely coming together for Workington who arrive on the back of a couple of encouraging results. But Monarchs deservedly sit at the top of the league table and will be determined to continue their recent hot streak of form. But that will easier said than done against this solid Comets team.

Ian Thomas will think his side are visiting at just the right time with several Monarchs elsewhere, but Doc Bridgett will be thinking the same in reverse with Rusty Harrison likely to be less effective at No.2 and a new Comets reserve who has not ridden the Armadale track before.

This match promises to be everything that last week's wasn't. Two evenly matched teams with everything to play for, lots of interesting head to head battles and of course all those new faces! Monarchs should make home advantage count but it's certainly a meeting not to be missed.

Probable line-ups

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: David Howe (guest), Rider replacement for Tobias Busch, William Lawson (guest), Matthew Wethers (capt.), Andrew Tully, Max Dilger, Kalle Katajisto.

WORKINGTON THOMAS ARMSTRONG COMETS: Andre Compton, Rusty Harrison, Chris Schramm (capt.), Craig Cook, Peter Kildemand, Richard Lawson, Kenny Ingalls.