Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers

Having sprung a surprise at Ashfield last Sunday, we needed to be careful that the tables weren’t turned on us at Armadale when we staged our first meeting for five weeks.

We established an advantage right away and although it wasn’t easy, our heat leaders were so outstanding that Tigers didn’t have much chance of closing the gap.

We were off to the best possible start with Derek Sneddon’s great gate in heat 1, protected by Craig Cook ensuring that Joe Screen, initially at the back, wasn’t given a chance to challenge.

Heat 2 was our first sight of new boy Marcel Helfer, but initially it was Micky Dyer who went ahead. Off the second bend Marcel nipped up the inside into second, riding a smooth pits corner to hold position. So far so good, but going into the next corner he got too close to Micky, locked up and slid off.

Quite promising nevertheless. Micky took the win.

Josh Grajczonek gated in heat 3 and withstood a race-long challenge from Theo Pijper, with Matthew Wethers well back but comfortably in front of Sitera (on his first Armadale ride).

Off gate 4 in heat 4, Andrew Tully went straight through the tapes, so it looked as though we had just blown our 4-point lead. But… Andrew off 15 metres was quickly into third with Marcel struggling a bit this time, and a lap later he was round Mason Campton into second. Surely he could not catch James Grieves?

He made up the ground in no time, and a fourth bend cutback pulled him level up the straight. The pair rode just about level for another lap or so until Tully’s tighter turns proved unstoppable, and he came through for a memorable win.

Theo Pijper and Joe Screen fought a fine battle on the first couple of laps of heat 5, before Theo slid across Joe’s nose and established a lead. Matthew looked slow but just held off Chris Mills.

We gated on a 5-1 in heat 6 but Grieves went past Sneddon down the back straight, the positions being settled after that. Our lead was 8 points now.

Andrew Tully won again in heat 7, beating Grajczonek, but Micky Dyer missed an early chance to come past Sitera and finished a disappointing fourth.

Heat 8 didn’t go according to plan at all for the home side. Campton and Mills gated in front and the young Aussie was gone. Derek Sneddon took the high line and drew alongside Mills at one point, but a wobble by Mills threw him off line. Helfer then came into third for a bit and looked good with some outside runs, before he dropped back in the end.

The gap was now down to four on the night and six overall. Just as well we had a lead!

After a false start to heat 9 Matthew’s bike stopped and he switched to Micky’s machine. It stopped too! He finished up on a Tully machine and although he only managed a third behind Pijper and Grieves, he did look much quicker.

Heats 10 was a routine 4-2, then we took another as Tully won a good early battle with Screen in heat 11 to put us 10 points ahead, a bit of breathing space.

Theo won heat 12 and we had another interesting ride from Helfer as he blasted round the wide line, a line on which riders might be expected to come off, and although he finished pointless it was another good effort.

Tigers now needed three 5-1s to draw the tie. Screen and Grieves made decent starts in heat 13, but Cook turned fiercely into the first corner and went in front. Andrew Tully then produced an amazing move to drive between the Tigers, going quicker into the third corner and emerging in second place.

A stunning opening lap, a 5-1 and it was all over.

Just as well, because the next heat was Tigers’ 5-1 after Matthew Wethers had completed a poor night by apparently forgetting to turn his fuel on.

Cook and Pijper were the Monarchs’ last heat pair, and again they raced stylishly to a 5-1, making it a 38 point haul for the home top three.

DDS Monarch of the Match: Andrew Tully.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers

Friday night speedway action at last returns to the Scotwaste Arena when the Glasgow Tigers make the short trip along the M8 for the all-Scottish KO Cup quarter-final second leg match with the mighty Monarchs for the daunting prize of a Semi-Final tie with Ipswich.

Edinburgh sit at the foot of the Premier League table due to having raced only one home league match after an incredible four consecutive blank Fridays, but fears that their crippling run of call-offs may have halted their improving form were dispelled with a great 2-point first leg win last Sunday.

In terms of rolling averages, Glasgow have the edge at No.1 but the figures do not reflect current form because Craig Cook is on fire this season and he brilliantly denied Glasgow's vastly experienced skipper, Joe Screen, a full maximum at Ashfield last week.

Derek Sneddon convincingly won the battle at No.2 against recent Glasgow signing, Chris Mills. 'Millsy' (30) from Essex, who was brought in during an early season re-shuffle, is a similar age and average to Derek, and will be under pressure to raise his game.

Theo Pijper has been revelling in his return to the blue and gold at No.3 where he faces 23-year-old Queenslander, Josh Grajczonek, a rider with huge ability who is working his way back to his best form after a devastating leg break just over a year ago.

Monarchs captain, Matthew Wethers had been showing a welcome return to form on his home shale and completely outshone his opposite number at No.4, Glasgow's other new signing from the Czech Republic, Filip Sitera, who had a nightmare meeting at Ashfield.

Andrew Tully's mastery of the Scotwaste Arena will once again be severely tested by his opposite number at No.5, the evergreen James Grieves who relishes a battle and who has ridden the Armadale track a lot more often over the years than half the Monarchs side.

Popular reserve Micky Dyer is at last getting the chance to earn some money to help with his expensive bike repairs and this week is lined up against another Australian newcomer in his first UK season, 19-year-old Jayden O’Malley who still has a long way to go in the sport.

Monarchs' surprise new signing, young German rider Marcel Helfer, faces a baptism of fire at No.7 where he faces Glasgow's biggest success story of their season so far, Mason Campton, another young Australian who has really been catching the eye.

Glasgow will have been stung into action after such a disappointing home result, meaning that the outcome of this tie certainly can't be taken for granted. However Monarchs must start as clear favourites to build on their slender first leg lead.

Monarchs will be looking for a repeat of the fantastic atmosphere seen during their last home match against Sheffield and there should be plenty to cheer about. A fierce local derby with a big prize at stake, the first Armadale track action for a month and the debut of an exciting new signing.

Any match with Glasgow has the added ingredient of that special rivalry, with both sided desperate to put one over on their closest rivals - and this one is no exception! Forget the first leg result: This match still has all the ingredients of an epic battle, so don't miss a single heat. Tapes up 7.30.

Likely line-ups:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Derek Sneddon, Theo Pijper, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Andrew Tully, Micky Dyer, Marcel Helfer.

GLASGOW TIGERS: Joe Screen (capt.), Chris Mills, Josh Grajczonek, Filip Sitera, James Grieves, Jayden O’Malley, Mason Campton.