DEVILS’ DOUBLE COMING UP

NEWS Wednesday 15th May 2013, 8:10pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs race their first home Premier League match of the season against the new-look Plymouth team at Armadale on Friday.

The Devils are under new management this season and have gone for a solid side with considerable experience. After the Armadale encounter the teams head off on the long journey to the St Boniface Arena, Plymouth for the return match on Saturday night. It’s a track Monarchs have never won at, nor even gained a point for a loss by less than 7.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 17th May (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Derek Sneddon (capt.), Theo Pijper, Max Fricke, Claus Vissing, Mitchell Davey, Jozsef Tabaka.

PLYMOUTH DEVILS: Ty Proctor, Chris Schramm, Mark Lemon (capt.), Ricky Kling, Corey Gathercole, Jake Anderson, Todd Kurtz.

CHILDREN’S EVENING: The Scotwaste Monarchs are repeating their successful experiment of last season by holding their Children’s evening this Friday.

This is in conjunction with the forthcoming Armadale Gala Day. In attendance will be some of the Gala Day Committee plus the 2012 Queen of Hearts Clara and her Champion William. This is their final public engagement before passing on their titles at the Gala Day.

There will be special attractions for the kids on Friday – Games, Competitions and Face Painting.

Last season the Children’s evening was the biggest attendance of the season!

LEAGUE CUP: Confirmation that Monarchs’ home win last Friday ensured that we qualify for the League Cup semi-finals, whatever the outcome of the one remaining fixture, the visit to Glasgow on Sunday 26th May.

Monarchs have 9 points from 3 matches, Berwick have four points but their matches are completed, and Glasgow have two with their home match against Edinburgh to come.

Sheffield are winners of the Midland section, Newcastle have now won the Border section and the Southern section lies between Ipswich and Rye House and will be decided over the next week.

CRAIG FOURTH IN BRITAIN: The continuing brilliance of Craig Cook is a talking point in the sport at the moment and he excelled in Monday’s British Championship Final at Wolverhampton when he finished fourth in the Final.

He was third qualifier with 12 points (3 wins, a second and a third) and won the semi-final from Scott Nicholls, Eddie Kennett and Danny King.

Craig has a reserve berth at the British GP at Cardiff on 1st June.

DEVILS MOST CAPABLE: The new Plymouth promotion didn’t have long to put a team together but they have managed to recruit some very useful riders.

Aussie Ty Proctor leads the way, and on current form he should be a major threat – he dropped only one point over two legs of the cup tie with Newcastle, and has been paid for double figures in his last two matches with Wolverhampton.

Mark Lemon has moved from Newcastle after a successful time there, and Ricky Kling comes into the Premier League for the first time after spending several years in the Elite League.

Corey Gathercole and Todd Kurtz are the two Plymouth riders retained from last season though they have also brought back Jake Anderson recently. On his day Gathercole can be a formidable opponent.

Their final signing was Chris Schramm who was a competitive performer in the British Final on Monday.

LAST MEETING: Last Friday the Scotwaste Monarchs beat Glasgow 56-36 at Armadale. Jozsef Tabaka was unbeaten in five races and Craig Cook dropped just one point.

NEXT MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs race against League Champions Scunthorpe Scorpions at Armadale on Friday May 24th.