BANDITS NEXT AT ARMADALE

NEWS Tuesday 10th August 2010, 8:51pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs have three meetings coming up in four days, including the visit to Armadale of the team who last Saturday became the first to beat Monarchs in an away league match this season - Berwick.

The Bandits have more Armadale specialists than some previous Berwick sides, not least ex-Monarch Michal Rajkowski, plus Paul Clews and Lee Complin, the latter for his first appearance of the season at Armadale. Monarchs will use rider replacement for Kevin Wolbert who will be heading for Latvia and the second stage of the World Under-21 Championship.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 6h AUGUST (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, Rider Replacement for Kevin Wolbert, Kalle Katajisto, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully, Arlo Bugeja, William Lawson.

PREMIER LEAGUE: Monarchs are 9 points ahead in the Premier League, and Birmingham could cut that to 6 with a home win on Wednesday night. Current position is ? Edinburgh 47 pts (17 matches), Birmingham 38 (20), Newcastle 38 (18), Rye House 35 (19), Workington 35 (22).

WIN THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE: The Scotwaste Monarchs won at Newcastle on Sunday, a result that potentially has huge significance for the Premier League this season.

The title race is a very long way from being over, but in most people's eyes that result swung the tag of ?favourites' away from the Diamonds and on to the Monarchs.

Being favourites means nothing till you reach the finishing line but John Campbell said ?We've taken a giant step towards the league title.

?In football parlance you would have described the match as a four pointer but in speedway terms it's even more than that, it was a seven pointer. We've gained four and they've lost three?.

SHEFFIELD AND PETERBOROUGH: Monarchs go to Sheffield in the league on Thursday, and Kevin Wolbert (hero of the Newcastle victory) will be in the side before he sets off for Latvia. Sheffield have been in excellent form recently.

Then on Sunday Monarchs race in the Fours at Peterborough, always a favourite event for Monarchs' travelling fans.

MEETING SPONSOR: Keyline Builders Merchants sponsor the visit of Berwick to Armadale on Friday ? though this time it is not the regulars from Broxburn but the Falkirk Branch.

BANDITS SHIELD BID: Berwick are keen to reach the Young Shield, which they should do fairly easily with their new lineup, and they might fancy their chances of winning it.

Anything they can pick up on Friday will be regarded as a bonus but certainly they are much better equipped to do well than they were on their previous visit in April.

Michal Rajkowski at reserve can certainly be a threat, and he wasn't in the side the first time. He was a real star for Monarchs last season, and a very popular rider.

Lee Complin also missed the April match ? he has a good Armadale record, and it remains to be seen what the new Polish rider Marcin Rempala, who made a 7-point debut at home against Monarchs, might achieve.

Add in Paul Clews who can be brilliant at Armadale and you have a handy lineup. It might not be a favourite circuit of Czechs Rymel and Makovsky but they can't be discounted either.

LAST MEETING: Monarchs' home leg in their cup quarter final against King's Lynn was rained off at Armadale last Friday.

NEXT MEETING: It is hoped that the King's Lynn cup tie can be restaged on Friday 20th August but confirmation is awaited. The Stars have made sweeping changes to their team since the first leg.

Full Result Details