BIGGEST DERBY FOR YEARS

NEWS Wednesday 10th June 2015, 5:38pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Border Roofing Monarchs this weekend race in the Premier League against the ‘new’ Glasgow Tigers in what are the most eagerly-anticipated Scottish speedway meetings for years.

Tigers come to Armadale on Friday (7.30), Monarchs go to Ashfield on Sunday (3pm). Glasgow with the massive investment they have had in stadium and team have been the talk of the sport this year, and are moving into a challenging position in the league table as they catch up with their fixtures. It’s been a long time since both Scottish teams have been so well placed and well matched.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 12th June (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

EDINBURGH BORDER ROOFING MONARCHS: Sam Masters, Rob Branford, Kevin Wolbert, Justin Sedgmen, Craig Cook (capt.), Max Clegg, Erik Riss.

GLASGOW ALLIED VEHICLES TIGERS: Stevie Worrall, Richard Lawson, Aaron Summers (capt.), rider replacement for Kozza Smith, Dimitri Berge, Victor Palovaara, James Sarjeant.

STEVIE GUESTS: We are seeing a lot of 2014 Monarch Stevie Worrall this season and he has been picked by Glasgow as their guest for Friday, standing in for Nick Morris who rides in the World Cup Final for Australia on Saturday and is unavailable.

Morris is virtually irreplaceable at Armadale but the highest individual scorer in any match at the West Lothian track this season is – Stevie Worrall, 16+1 for Newcastle on 8th May. What would Tigers give for a repeat of that?

SAM IN DENMARK: Sam Masters, having just completed a busy period of racing, had been looking forward to a rest, but he has now accepted a callup to ride tonight for Danish side Region Varde in their away match against Fjelsted.

Former Monarch Max Fricke is also in tonight’s side.

So Sam now has Leicester, Lublin (Poland) and Region Varde (Denmark) on his roster.

His Monarchs’ team mate Justin Sedgmen is also looking for some overseas meetings and on current form would surely do well. The call hasn't come for Sedgy so far.

PREMIER LEAGUE: There’s still a very long way to go in the Premier League but we are now past the first quarter of the matches staged.

The leaders are Somerset, beaten Finalists in the Championship Playoffs last year (and champs the year before). They have 25 points from 9 matches (1 defeat).

Peterborough have 19 points from 6 matches and are undefeated, as are the Border Roofing matches who have the same 19 from 6 but a very slightly inferior points difference.

Glasgow are sixth (14 from 6) but definitely on the up!

LINEUP CHANGES: Glasgow have an unusual-looking lineup for Friday’s match with heat leader Richard Lawson moving to no. 2 to partner their guest Stevie Worrall.

With rider replacement at no. 4 and Aaron Summers virtually certain to take the ride in heat 14, it looks as though Tigers are targeting heats 8 and 14 with their strongest men. These races have none of Masters, Cook or Wolbert in them.

This does mean that Dimitri Berge rides at no. 5, and he hasn’t managed to get round Armadale too well on previous visits in spite of undoubted talent.

Glasgow have perhaps the strongest reserves in the league in Victor Palovaara and James Sarjeant, and they will be hoping that they can have a significant effect on Friday. This will be the first Armadale appearance of the season for Sarjeant, who has been doing well with Coventry in the Elite League.

Edinburgh swap their reserves with Erik Riss moving to no. 7.

PREMIER PAIRS: On July 3rd Edinburgh defend the Pairs title they won last year through Sam Masters and Max Fricke.

The groups have been announced for this year's competition:

Group A Edinburgh Ipswich Rye House Peterborough Newcastle

Group B Glasgow Somerset Workington Redcar Berwick

LAST MEETING: The Border Roofing Monarchs beat Ipswich 53-37 in the Premier League. Justin Sedgmen (13) was unbeaten by the opposition.

NEXT MEETING: Redcar Bears will be the visitors in the Premier League on Friday 19th June.

Full Result Details