STOKE OR MONARCHS FOR SHIELD

NEWS Monday 24th September 2007, 2:01pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Whether or not the Scotwaste Monarchs make the Young Shield will now depend on Wednesday's Stoke v Berwick match at Loomer Road.

Stoke's visit to Glasgow has been postponed on Monday and so will not count prior to the cutoff (which is Wednesday).

Stoke will finish on 26 points, the same as Monarchs, if they race and beat Berwick on Wednesday. They will also have a better points difference, and we would be out of the Young Shield.

So only a win or draw for Berwick, or a rain-off, would put us through.

At the weekend Mildenhall clinched their place by beating Berwick and going above us on points difference, while Newport dropped out as they were well beaten at home by Isle of Wight.

You could say that realistically our prospects depend on the weather in Stoke!