Edinburgh Monarchs v Scunthorpe Scorpions

Outstanding performances by Fisher, Tully and thrillmaker Katajisto proved too much for Scunthorpe as the Scotwaste Monarchs scored a 25-point victory.

Not only did Ryan win all of his five heats with ease, but he started the night by knocking a remarkable 0.7 secs off the long-standing track record in the first heat. Jozsef took advantage of a bad first turn by Simon Lambert to take the point.

Kalle was on a different engine from last week but any fears that it might not perform as well were dispelled as he flew round to win heat 2 in a time which also beat the old record. Partner Max Dilger was well at the rear though.

Our middle pairing has been our main source of heat advantages and they got off to a good start with a comfortable 5-1 over Carl Wilkinson.

Even more impressively, Andrew Tully forced his way ahead in heat 4, with attention focussing on a great battle for second in which Kalle and David Howe passed and repassed. Our man got the better of it to put us 10 points clear already.

That meant Magnus Karlsson took a TR in heat 5, and he took the six points though Matthew kept right on his tail throughout and looked like passing once or twice.

Ryan Fisher had Howe on his tail for most of heat 6, and there was a gift for Tabaka when Jerran Hart fell, perhaps due to David Howe passing him at extremely close quarters!

Andrew Tully kept his good form and fast starts going in heat 7, but Max Dilger?s ride was very disappointing, feebly losing third place to Tero Aarnio who is anything but a track specialist.

Heat 8 was another super Kalle-show, riding neck and neck with Wilkinson before rounding him for another great win.

Our smooth stroll towards victory was interrupted in heat 9 when Howe and Hart got to the front. Both Wolbert and Wethers pressed Hart but without success, a good ride by the visiting reserve.

We got it straight back though, Fisher and Katajisto easily heading the Scorpions? middle pair.

Andrew Tully did well from gate 1 to hold out Karlsson round the first corner of heat 11, but there was still no joy for Dilger, well back again.

Against the visitors? weakest two riders we took an easy 5-1 in heat 12 through Katajisto and Wolbert, moving 15 points ahead.

Heat 13 was an all-star heat indeed, and it was Fisher away again. Tully made a great move round the outside and was going in to second when Ryan blocked him, thinking it was an opposition rider!

That dropped Andrew back behind Karlsson but he didn?t give up, chased hard and eventually came under Magnus on the pits corner of lap three. He went through cleanly but Magnus found himself awkwardly placed, and came down against the fence.

The heat was awarded as a 5-1 to us. With Kalle coming in to heat 14 it was no surprise that we took another maximum advantage there, and the young Finn was handed the chance to join our exclusive ?21 Club? when he was given his seventh ride in the final heat.

This was a good finish ? Fisher was quickly away to complete his full maximum, and on the first lap Kalle slipped into second by cutting between the leader and David Howe. However he drifted on the fourth turn and Howe regained second, which he held on to in spite of Kalle?s best efforts.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Scunthorpe Scorpions

There's no let-up in the queue of top speedway sides visiting Armadale in search of Premier League points because this Friday its the turn of the highly entertaining Scunthorpe Scorpions to come along and try their luck (7.30).

Mind you, luck hasn't been a strong feature of the Scorpions' season so far, at least not good luck. They are currently two riders down on their starting seven due to injuries and will arrive with a six-man side operating rider replacement at No.2 and a recent new signing at No.3.

The Lincolnshire club began the season with virtually the same side as 2009, only bringing in one new rider, Joel Parsons from Sheffield. Unfortunately in only his eighth match, the Australian was involved in a serious racing accident which left him with two broken bones in his back and a three month lay-off.

Further bad luck was to follow soon after when the second of their Swedish riders, Victor Bergstrom also picked up a nasty injury when his leg was burned after being trapped against the exhaust. His recovery time will be much shorter than Joel's but the absence of these two has put pressure on the rest of the side.

At least Kalle will have someone to converse with in Finnish in the pits on Friday since Scunthorpe's new signing is Tero Aarnio who will be remembered from his spells at Berwick in the last two years which ended in a tangle with his team-mate Michal Makovsky which ruled him out with injury.

But from top to bottom there are some really keen match-ups between the Monarchs and Scorpions riders. There should be very little between the No.1's, Ryan Fisher and former Monarch Magnus Karlsson who both ride Armadale very well, but the home fans will expect their man to come out on top.

The improving Jozsef Tabaka faces rider replacement at No.2 where Joel Parsons' rides can be taken by Wilkinson, Aarnio, Hart and Lambert. Monarchs will expect to have a big advantage at No.3 where Aarnio will be up against the flying German sensation, Kevin Wolbert.

At No.4, skipper Matthew Wethers will have his work cut out against the spectacular style and never-give-up attitude of Carl Wilkinson. Andrew Tully will also have to call on all his Armadale experience to contain Monarchs one-time signing target and highest average visitor, David Howe, who rides at No.5.

Max Dilger faces the highly rated British Under-18 champion, Jerran Hart from Suffolk, who in only his third season in the sport is attached to clubs in all three leagues, Mildenhall, Scunthorpe and Lakeside. He has also had previous experience with Newport, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Ipswich.

So Monarchs will be hoping for another storming performance from young reserve Kalle Katajisto to decisively tip the result in their favour. His opposite number is Simon Lambert who has still to fulfil his early promise and whose place at No.8 for Peterborough was taken by Andrew Tully last year.

Having shown the form expected by the promotion in last week's demolition of Newcastle, Monarchs should set that result as a benchmark and use that confidence as a spur to compete for every single point. In summary, Monarchs can expect a tough test but should be expected to come out on top in this one.

Probable line-ups

Edinburgh: Ryan Fisher, Jozsef Tabaka, Kevin Wolbert, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully, Max Dilger, Kalle Katajisto.

Scunthorpe: Magnus Karlsson, rider replacement for Joel Parsons, Tero Aarnio, Carl Wilkinson, David Howe, Jerran Hart, Simon Lambert.