Pivotal Derby Ahead

PREVIEW Friday 15th September 2017, 12:30pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

It’s derby time! The one fixture most fans look out for as soon as the fixture list is announced. The Parsons Peebles Monarchs versus the Glasgow Tigers at Armadale in SGB Championship action.

Adding to the drama this time is the fact that both teams are chasing the playoffs with neither secured yet as we enter the final weekend of the regular season before the cut off date and by which time the team’s destinies will be known.

The Tigers were many people’s pick to sweep the board this season and started the season like a train routinely demolishing teams at Ashfield and picking up at least a consolation point on their travels. However the form book has turned upside down for our friends from the west and that coupled with a desperate spate of injuries means they are teetering on losing out on a playoff spot an outcome that would have been unthinkable just a few weeks ago.

Tigers are often at their most dangerous when they are under threat though and Stewart Dickson will have his men well fired up for tonight’s fixture knowing that a positive result will all but seal that playoff place and allow them to reset and go again over the coming weeks.

This job will be made all the harder as mentioned above the Tigers will arrive at Armadale tonight with only 3 of their own 1-7 due to an almost unprecedented run of injuries over the last few weeks. The Tigers faithful have watched as first Nike Lunna was lost for the season due to back and arm injuries, then Dan Bewley was forced out with a groin injury. Things went from bad to worse when Tom Perry suffered arm and rib injuries and then to compound matters Jack Smith now faces a spell out after losing part of his finger in a crash at Swindon just this week. Not that there is ever a good time for a rider to be injured but the most galling thing for the Tigers is that all of these injuries took place while the riders were riding for other teams.

So it is a patched up Tigers side that head east this evening although the one constant and the strength of the team this season has been the heat leader trio all of whom are still in tact.

Starting at number 1 with Richie Worrall. Worrall was one of the main reasons for the Tigers strong start to the season as he was in lightning form and was probably the best rider in the league for the first 2 months. His form has levelled of a bit but the Monarchs fans will not need reminding of what he is capable off after his excellent 13 point performance for the Blue and Gold at Scunthorpe last Sunday that helped us to a crucial 8 point victory. Richie loves the Armadale track and will be looking to impress once again.

Glasgow’s run of bad luck with injuries appears to have even stretched to their guests as Mason Campton was due to go at number 2 before injury forced him to withdraw. Newcastle’s Ashley Morris steps in. Morris has enjoyed probably his best ever season in the sport and this can probably be put down to being part of a settled team at Newcastle. Morris has impressed on his two visits to the Dale this year including a paid 10 haul on his first visit in which he was unbeaten after his first 3 rides including a heat 1 win. If Morris can replicate that form this week then a tough encounter is on the cards.

Richard Lawson slots in at number 3, it has been a bit of an up and down season for ‘the son of God’ as he is known on the Ashfield terracing. His home form has been electric and he will be one of the favourites to lift the Championship Riders Individual trophy in a couple of weeks around his home shale however on away tracks he has sometimes been found wanting in the big heats and this is something that will need improved upon if the Tigers are to challenge for the league and cup double they so desperately want. Lawson used to struggle at Armadale but has certainly found the quickest way round in recent times with a high score of paid 15 to his name he can never be discounted.

Rider replacement operates at number 4 for Dan Bewley with Aaron Summers, Ashley Morris and the reserves able to stand in.

Number 5 and captain of the Tigers is Aaron ‘Spud’ Summers. Of course we all know how good Summers can be around Armadale and while we haven’t seen him for a couple of months early in the season it felt like he guested against us every week. Another who is almost part of the furniture at Ashfield now Summers is taking on a key role as he combines his captain’s duties with covering one of Dan’s rides. So 6 rides tonight is not out of the question for Spud and if he rides to his capabilities then a big score may well be in the offing.

Replacing the luckless Tom Perry at reserve for this fixture is Workington’s James Sarjeant. It has been a disastrous season for Sarjeant with the man himself admitting he has no idea what has went wrong. However he has shown signs of life recently not least round Armadale where he performed well in the Caledonian Riders Championship the other week backing this up with a 6 point score and a heat 14 win for Workington at Armadale last Friday. Sarjeant will be looking for more of this type of form as he looks to show promoters that he is still the rider that averaged close to 6 points a match from a second string positon just last year.

At time of writing it is not known who will fill in for Glasgow at number 7. Jack Smith suffering a nasty sounding injury at Swindon on Thursday night that resulted in the tip of one of his fingers needing to e cut off. We wish young Jack all the best in his recovery in what has been a season in which he has shown improvement as it has progressed.

So that’s the visitors what about our home heroes well we go into this match with our full 1-7 on show. Sam returning at Sheffield on Thursday night in what was an uninspired performance by the majority of the team for one reason or another. We will need to shake that off for the derby though as not only is any match against Glasgow full of importance but the fact that a playoff place is on the line doubles that intensity. A win for the Monarchs and while not mathematically certain it would give us one foot in the playoffs as it would require Redcar to take 9 points from 3 away fixtures at Glasgow, Newcastle and Sheffield this weekend and that would be with the Monarchs taking nothing from our trip to Workington.

So a derby under the lights with a playoff place on the line what more could you ask for how will it pan out there is only one way to know and that is to get yourself to Armadale tonight. See you there!

Full Result Details