Edinburgh Monarchs v Mildenhall Fen Tigers

For a team with four home debutants, things couldn?t have gone much better than they did for the Scotwaste Monarchs against Mildenhall.

With Daniele Tessari still missing, the team is not really a solid one but the great thing about this match was the good feeling both in the pits and on the terraces.

Derek Sneddon has already made his mark as the new captain, getting the team really working together. The crowd was a healthy one and the reception for the side was warm, getting things off to a good start.

And to be honest, Mildenhall were a good team to race against because apart from Legault, they reached no great heights with Fry and King disappointing, and Suchanek not the threat he might have been from reserve.

George Stancl took his first win as a full-time Monarch in heat 1 with Derek Sneddon holding on to third.

Remarkably, we then took a maximum advantage from heat 2! No great surprise that Matthew won the heat, but what a great effort from Aaron Summers, fighting to keep a tight line and taking the paid win. His main challenge came from Mark Baseby who showed more fight than Suchanek.

Kai Laukkanen gated in heat 3 but the visiting pair tangled up on the first bend. King came down and was excluded. Kyle Legault then gated in the rerun, and although Laukkanen made an excellent effort to pass inside and out, he eventually had to settle for second.

Young Kalle Katajisto was riding his new bike for the first time, and the front wheel shot up at the tapes and threw him off the side. Undaunted, he climbed on again for four laps of practise while Matthew easily headed Suchanek and Fry.

Kai took his first win as a Monarch in heat 5, passing Madsen on the first lap, and thereafter all eyes were on Andrew as he tried to pull off an outside pass on the Fen Tiger pair. At times he seemed set to pass both but Tacey managed to block him each time.

Paul Fry was struggling and again Baseby was the man to take up the chase on Stancl and Sneddon in heat 6. Eventually Baseby fell, as he had in heat 2, but he was impressive for a newcomer.

We had two heats lined up as Katakisto/Summers, and although Matthew took the ride from the young Finn, it was still an obvious TR chance. Legault duly took the six points and we were now 5 ahead after a 2-7.

Tacey led the way in heat 8, but Derek pulled off one of his best passes with an outside move on the pits corner.

Kai and Andrew took a 5-1 from Fry and Baseby in heat 9, and that was just about it as far as the match points were concerned.

However we then had some controversy in heat 10 as Derek was unexpectedly excluded on 2 minutes. He had dismounted for a prod at the track and must have been too close to the limit, but it seemed an unnecessary decision when all riders were at the tapes and there was no real holdup.

Matthew Wethers came in, when perhaps the ride might have been better used by Aaron Summers. From the tapes, George Stancl lifted, and ran Kyle Legault into the fence at the first corner.

George should probably have been excluded but he got away with it, perhaps as payback for the Sneddon exclusion.

Legault took his third win in the rerun. Matthew would have been much better going into the next heat, in which we left the youngsters Aaron and Kalle and gifted a 1-5 to the Fen Tigers? opening pair.

However, Matthew was at his best in heat 12 when we at last halted Legault?s winning run. The Canadian took the lead but the amazing Wethers passed him on the outside, to be followed by Laukkanen coming through as well with an inside pass. Legault seemed unsettled by Wethers? overtake.

So we were back to an 11-point lead, and George Stancl won heat 13 with Kalle having his steadiest ride.

Matthew took his fourth win in heat 14 to bring his score to paid 17, and that just left the excellent Legault to take another win in heat 15, chased home by Laukkanen.

We don?t have a powerhouse team, but we do have an interesting one, and Ronnie Correy will be pleased to know that the team spirit is excellent. In many ways this match deserves to be remembered as a memorable one in our history.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Mildenhall Fen Tigers

It's a long time since a Premier League match generated as much interest as Friday's encounter with the Mildenhall Fen Tigers. Edinburgh will have four new faces in the line-up of which only one is familiar to most Armadale regulars.

After last week's renaissance we find former foe George Stancl making a very welcome debut for the side at number 1. After a short time out of the sport following Glasgow's dismissal of their Czech star, George returned to action last Sunday with a classy and untroubled maximum guesting for Newcastle. If, as he says, his mechanical problems are a thing of the past we can look forward to big scores from him. He is not only familiar with the Armadale track, but at home on it too so Friday night would be a good time to start with a maximum.

George will be partnered by Derek Sneddon at number 2. Derek was given the honour of being made captain of the side this week and, knowing the sort of guy he is, he will surely relish this job. Hopefully it will give an extra boost to his already impressive performances this season.

Kai Laukkanen takes over at number 3. As a former Grand Prix rider and established international star he should turn out to be one of the league's biggest hitters although it may take a little time for him to suss out the Armadale track. He is partnered by Andrew Tully in his usual number 4 position. Andrew finished runner-up in a junior meeting at Belle Vue on Wednesday night.

Coming into the side directly at number 5 is 16 year old Finnish rider Kalle Katajisto. He has only been riding 500cc machines for a couple of months or so but is so highly recommended by Kai Laukkanen that Edinburgh have decided to give him a chance to develop his talent in the Premier League. It would be unfair to expect much in Friday's match but he will provide a great deal of interest and, hopefully, excitement as we watch him develop in the same way as we watched Rory Schlein, Cameron Woodward and Matthew Wethers.

At reserve we have new Aussie sensation, Aaron Summers. Aaron is in the UK for six weeks to sample British speedway and rode for the Monarchs at Somerset in our recent cup tie there. He has also ridden at Buxton and took part in a junior championship meeting at Belle Vue on Wednesday, winning his first race before suffering a broken chain in his second. Matthew Wethers is again at number 7 and may well be required to take another full quota of rides. Matthew's performances recently have been outstanding and the team would have suffered even more badly had he not risen to the occasion just when we needed him to do so most.

But what of the Mildenhall side? At number 1 is Tom P Madsen who used to ride for Berwick. It's fair to say that, while Tom has his moments, he is not the most formidable number 1 we will have to face before the season's out. He can't be discounted of course but it looks as though we have a distinct advantage at this position. He is partnered by Shaun Tacey who is not perhaps the force he used to be. He had a disappointing season last year and retired from the Fen Tigers' team only to come back this season. Again I fancy we have the edge at number 2.

The much improved Canadian, Kyle Legault, is at number 3 for the visitors. Even when he appeared as a comparative rookie for Sheffield, Kyle impressed as one for the future. The future has now arrived but again we seem to be better served at this position in the side. Number 4 is Jason King. Thank goodness we don't have to face his brother, Daniel, this year since he was largely instrumental in the Fen Tigers' victory at Armadale last year. Jason is nonetheless an important part of the Mildenhall team and has had some notable victories this season. There may not be too much in it comparing the two number 4s but, if Andrew can sort out his starts, we could do well at this position too.

Paul Fry is the Mildenhall number 5 and is one of the sport's real racers. He has had a number of falls at Armadale if memory serves me correctly but this guy is a real entertainer and it was a bit of a surprise when Somerset dispensed with his services this season. At reserve Mark Baseby is in his first season in the Premier League and would not be expected to score much on his first league appearance here but the opposite can be said of Tomas Suchanek in the other reserve spot. What on earth is this guy doing at reserve? Another casualty of the changes at Somerset, Tomas's fast starts will be a big danger and I expect to see him get more than his programmed quota of races.

Overall we must have a good chance of taking the points but there are some big question marks. Firstly our two new youngsters, Kalle and Aaron can't be expected to contribute heavily which will put an added burden on the rest of the side. Secondly, Kai Laukkanen, may take some time to settle in so, until he does so, his points returns may well not reflect his ability in the short term. Thirdly, Derek and Andrew have had a lean time of it recently and we can only hope that they put their low returns behind them to sparkle again just when we need tham most.

No matter what, there should be plenty of excitement and points of interest for what will surely be a large crowd on Friday night. Here's hoping that the talking points after the match are all positive and that the feelgood factor returns big style.