Edinburgh Monarchs v Stoke Potters

Five double figure scorers ensured there were no slip-ups in the last home league match against Stoke.

The Potters badly miss Jason Bunyan (injured) and Claus Vissing (banned) because their replacements Frank Facher and Jeremiah Thelaus are nowhere near being worth their assessed 7-point averages.

Only two points were dropped by our 5 main riders. Lee Smart caught Kalle Katajisto on the second corner of the rerun heat 3, and Ricky Wells was Potters? other race winner when he just held off an outside challenge from William Lawson in the early stages of heat 12.

The best heat of the night was heat 15 in which Wells held second most of the way with Matthew Wethers looking for a passing line, and finding it with an impressive outside pass. He came alongside wells going into the last lap and completed the move on the next bend, with Wells allowing him room to race.

Maximum scorers were Matthew, Ryan and Andrew, all riding exceptionally well.

Ricky Wells, Taylor Poole and Lee Smart were all worth watching. Smart seems to have grown (in all directions) but has a good leg-trailing style, and after his win in heat 3 it seemed he would be a big threat.

Unfortunately in heat 7 on a TR he lifted on the second bend and hit the fence hard. Thereafter he was less effective.

William Lawson had his best meeting since returning to Monarchs, looking really determined on the opening bends. If he continues like this it will be very encouraging for the matches to come.

Ashley Morris took one good point but struggled in some of his rides, and fell heavily in heat 8 after clipping Poole. It is all experience for the young man who is so enthusiastic.

Greg Blair had the job of replacing Kevin, and didn?t have much luck. He fell on the first lap of heat 3, then missed his next one due to a 2-minute exclusion. However in heat 9 he very nearly got a point, staying ahead of Thelaus till the closing stages.

He then had to withdrawn from his last ride as his engine had seized solid.

We now have 72 points with one away match remaining, and Cup and Playoff contests to come.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Stoke Potters

This Friday (7.30) gives those Monarchs fans who didn't travel to Stoke last week the welcome chance to see no fewer than FOUR new visiting riders from all parts of the globe making their Scotwaste Arena d?buts for the Potters.

The Potters have certainly rung the changes this season, tracking enough riders to fill more than two teams. But they look to have settled on a stable seven at last although they only approach the starting team average due to a couple of riders on assessed 7.00's.

Flyin' Ryan Fisher lines up against the first of these, 21-year-old former Bandit Frank Facher who beat Kevin Wolbert to the German Championship title. He scored paid eleven in his first match against Sheffield, but has struggled for points since then.

Matthew Wethers faces one of Stoke's few 2010 'regulars', 22-year-old former grass tracker Lee Smart. Lee has raised his average by a good margin this season and continues to push it ever upwards with a string of consistently good scores .

Kevin Wolbert may or may not be available at No.3 where Stoke field Sheffield-born Ben Wilson, still only 24, who was signed to replace Jan Graversen. An unsuccessful spell with Redcar and a heavy crash at Berwick has blighted his season so far.

Once again, two exceptionally exciting talents face each other at No.4 in Kalle Katajisto and Taylor Poole, a Peterborough asset. Just like Kalle, the 18-year-old from Sydney had a sensational run of scores before being temporarily slowed up by injury.

Andrew Tully faces the other new 7.00 pointer in 22-year-old Swedish rider Jeremia Thelaus who replaces Klaus Vissing. Jeremia has really been thrown in at the deep end with the season substantially over and no doubt needs a lot more time to show his best form.

Ashley Morris again lines up opposite the 19-year-old American captain of the Potters, Ricky Wells, who is on loan from parent club Coventry. Ricky has achieved a respectable five point average in his first UK season, but that's not likely to phase the impressive new Monarchs reserve.

If Edinburgh are to run up a really high score, William Lawson will have to use all his Armadale experience to subdue his Elite League-experienced opposite number, 24-year-old Czech Republic rider, Lubos Tomicek, brought in to replace Claus Vissing.

It would be a major shock if Monarchs were to lose this one and they will be hoping to enjoy a confidence-boosting performance ahead of much more important fixtures now that the Premier League titled has been secured in such brilliant fashion.

The fans will also be keen to see a good match after last Friday's unfortunate circumstances. Stoke are one of the stalwart sides of Premier League speedway although the core of this team is likely to be much more of a force in seasons to come once they have picked up extra experience.

But don't count them out on Friday. With two young sides full of exciting and ambitious riders, anything is likely to happen , and the Potters are sure to produce a few surprises.

Likely line-ups:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Kevin Wolbert or replacement, Kalle Katajisto, Andrew Tully, Ashley Morris, William Lawson.

STOKE EASY RIDER POTTERS: Frank Facher, Taylor Poole, Ben Wilson, Lee Smart, Jeremiah Thelaus, Ricky Wells (capt.), Lubos Tomicek.