LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL ON FRIDAY

NEWS Wednesday 12th August 2015, 11:54pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

At the end of a momentous week, the Border Roofing Monarchs have another important match at Armadale on Friday and given that they lost at home last Friday, will be working very hard to ensure that they record a much better result against the always-interesting Ipswich Witches.

The second leg is at Foxhall Heath on 3rd September and the winners will meet Glasgow in the final. Monarchs of course have followed their home defeat with an incredible three away victories at Rye House (Saturday), Peterborough (Sunday) and Somerset (Tuesday, live on Sky!), returning them to the top of the league.

TEAMS FOR THE LEAGUE CUP SEMI-FINAL 1st LEG MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 14th August (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

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

IPSWICH WITCHES: Richard Lawson (guest), rider replacement for Nico Covatti, Gino Manzares, Cameron Heeps, Rohan Tungate, Simon Nielsen (guest), Ashley Morris.

COME AND SEE US: Boss John Campbell was of course delighted with the team on Tuesday and he hopes that Monarchs’ fans throughout central Scotland will turn out to congratulate them and cheer them on this Friday.

“They were magnificent,” he said, “and it seems that we do everything well – the only thing we don’t seem to be able to do is get a big crowd to come and watch our great team at Armadale.

“This is another big match and an ideal chance to give them a great reception.”

SAM MASTERS: We await the return to action of smiling Sam who still has a cast on his right hand. Meanwhile he has been present at every match and a very influential presence he has been too.

Prior to the match at Somerset he said “I have a feeling we will win. I don’t normally have these kind of gut feelings but it happened last year before the Pairs which Max Fricke and I won!”

Sam was right again and quite keen to point that out to anyone who would listen.

CREDIT TO ERIK: The team were of course very pleased with the way things went at Somerset though sometimes they don’t realise just how well they have done.

Justin Sedgmen passed a lot of credit to 19 year old Erik Riss for his 14 points.

“We encouraged him to ride in the dirt at Peterborough but he said he didn’t know how – in Germany they don’t have any!

“We just told him to go out there and do it, and he won his last race on Sunday and then did even better at Somerset. I think he was the match winner.”

Craig Cook said “What a great team effort. The only place we’re not so good is at home!”

LOOKING FOR A LEAD: Ipswich were unlucky to lose by as much as 53-37 on their last visit after putting up a good show.

For this match they don’t have UK no. 3 Danny King in their side (he rides at Coventry) but they are using Glasgow’s Richard Lawson, who scored 14+2 on his last visit.

The Witches have another guest at reserve as Stefan Nielsen is away on World Under-21 duty and is replaced by his namesake Simon.

All of the Witches’ riders have had their moments at Armadale with Gino Manzares having shone on his last two visits. Cameron Heeps was brilliant in last year’s cup final, and Ashley Morris of course was in Monarchs’ league winning team of 2010.

Rohan Tungate returns for the visitors after serving a 21-day ban.

LAST MEETING: The Border Roofing Monarchs lost 44-45 to Peterborough last Friday. They made amends in the following days. Top scorer last week was Craig Cook with 15.

NEXT MEETING: On Friday 21st August Monarchs race their great rivals Somerset Rebels at Armadale in the Premier League. These two teams have contested the last two Premier Championship Finals.

Full Result Details