Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers

This was a very tight match for the first eight heats before Edinburgh asserted themselves over the closing stages.

The home team opened with a 5-1 as Derek Sneddon withstood a strong challenge from Mark Lemon, Tigers’ guest.

Glasgow provided the next four heat winners on a track that was quite heavy, and they were clearly determined not to let Edinburgh take the points easily.

Kevin Wolbert proved a brilliant guest and he helped edge his parent club further ahead in heat 6, but with the scores at 26-22 after eight races, there was still all to race for.

Over the last seven heats though, only a TR ride for Josh Grajczonek prevented Edinburgh taking advantages in all of them.

Heat 11 was a real turning point. Andrew Tully raced clear and Byron Bekker not only headed Mason Campton, but also swept past Lemon for a surprise 5-1.

That brought in the TR but no advantage was gained, thanks to a clever first corner by Theo Pijper who blocked Grajczonek’s outside run. Bekker again took a good third.

Wolbert and Tully were in heat 13, and these two were the dominant riders in the match. They swept to a 5-1 and the full points were secured.

As if to show that it wasn’t really Glasgow’s night, Henning Bager’s exclusion from heat 14 looked most unfair, and James Grieves was unlucky to stop having got ahead in the final heat.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers

It's Scotch and Rye night at Armadale this Friday when Edinburgh stage their second double header of the season, firstly with a battle of the Scots clubs against Glasgow Tigers followed by another must-win match against Len Silver's Rye House Rockets.

However, all three clubs will track 'for one night only' line-ups that are heavily reliant on guests to cover for injuries to key riders in their desperate race for late-season Premier League points. So it's even harder than normal to predict what the outcomes will be once the dust has settled.

Kevin Wolbert makes a welcome return at No.1 in place of the rapidly recovering Craig Cook where he faces Glasgow's guest, Mark Lemon, an experienced rider with a great record on recent visits who stands in for Joe Screen who has often looked uncomfortable around the Scotwaste Arena.

Derek Sneddon will be ultra-keen to bounce back after getting such a rough deal last week. He faces one of the big success stories of Glasgow's season at No.2, one of the numerous Australian newcomers, Mason Campton, who hails from the New South Wales Kurri Kurri Club.

Monarchs' Dutch Flyer, Theo Pijper faces Glasgow's other big success story at No.3, Josh Grajczonek, a highly talented rider now in his fifth season with the Tigers and whose Elite League ambitions have been held back by a series of injuries from which he has now recovered.

Armadale favourite Matthew Wethers lines up opposite Glasgow's new No.4, 31-year-old Danish rider, Henning Bager whose speedway career has been heavily blighted by injury and suspension but who is still a top performer when everything is going right for him.

Andrew Tully will be hoping for more 'normal' track conditions tonight when he lines up opposite Glasgow's No.5, James Grieves who showed that he has lost none of his edge and determination in his recent guest appearances in the blue and gold race jacket.

Monarchs are well down on scoring potential at reserve with the absence of Jozsef Tabaka. His replacement is Mr 100% effort, Byron Bekker from South Africa who lines up against Glasgow's new No.6, James McBain who could hardly be more local to the Ashfield track.

At No.7, Monarchs fans will be hoping German newcomer Marcel Helfer can get his starting technique sorted out in order to compete with Charles Wright from Cumbria who made the move from East to West when he was released by Edinburgh earlier this season.

Monarchs still have a very wounded look without Craig Cook and Joszef Tabaka which gives Glasgow just the incentive they need in the battle for League placings, so much depends on whether Kevin Wolbert can rediscover his former mastery of the Scotwaste Arena.

In the second match, a similarly wounded Rye House side are led by a clever choice of guest, James Grieves who is certainly piling up the points just now, although there must be times when he has to check his race jacket to remind himself which side he is representing.

Already without former Berwick favourite Charlie Gjedde and young UK star, Jason Garrity, the Hertforshire side also use rider replacement at No. 2 for Luke Bowen. At No.3 they track a highly talented young Swedish rider, Anders Mellgren who made his UK debut with Newport.

The Rocket at No.4 is Simon Lambert who has been a frequent visitor to Armadale over the years and has put in some sensational performances. In contrast at No.5 is a newcomer to the UK and Armadale, Kasper Nielsen from Denmark who replaces Jordan Frampton.

James Sarjeant who impressed as a Monarchs guest recently steps in as a Rye House guest on this occasion at No.6. Last but not least, the Rockets not-so-secret weapon lurks at No.7. There can be fewer more experienced reserves anywhere than Jason Bunyan.

Edinburgh need the points to match their still lofty ambitions whereas Rye House need the points just to keep them off the bottom of the league. Monarchs' fans will be hoping for a repeat of the result in the second match of their previous double header when they demolished Redcar.

Two very different matches, but both of equal importance to Edinburgh's hopes of gaining that vital sixth place and entry into the Premier League Play-Offs, and both of which are full of question marks which should make for an epic 30 heats of all-action speedway. Remember, it's tapes up at 7.00 sharp!

Likely line-ups.

EDINBURGH SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Kevin Wolbert (guest), Derek Sneddon, Theo Pijper, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Andrew Tully, Byron Bekker (guest), Marcel Helfer.

GLASGOW TIGERS: Mark Lemon (guest), Mason Campton, Josh Grajczonek, Henning Bager, James Grieves, James McBain, Charles Wright.

RYE HOUSE ROCKETS: James Grieves (guest), rider replacement for Luke Bowen, Anders Mellgren, Simon Lambert, Kasper Nielsen, James Sarjeant (guest), Jason Bunyan.