LAWSON BACK AGAINST SHEFFIELD

NEWS Tuesday 20th June 2006, 10:34am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs welcome back William Lawson on Friday, slightly less than four weeks after the starlet fractured his elbow at Glasgow.

Sheffield Tigers provide the opposition in the Premier League, and Monarchs are looking for a good win to give them a chance of the aggregate bonus point. Their league campaign needs a boost after some disappointing away results, and the return of the 19 year old who has added three points to his average this season could provide that.

WILLIAM'S RETURN

William Lawson passed himself fit to ride after a post-match tryout last Friday, even though his session was interrupted by malfunctioning machinery.

On Monday his dad said ?He feels OK other than the occasional twinge, which was happening anyway.

?He'll be turning up to ride in heat 3 on Friday and take it from there.?

Even though he rode in only 5 of the home Premier Trophy matches plus all 7 away, William finished second in Monarchs' Trophy averages on 7.92.

CUP ON TUESDAY

The second leg of Monarchs' KO Cup tie with Newport takes place at Queensway Meadows next Tuesday (7pm).

Monarchs need to defend a 16-point advantage from the first leg to qualify for a second round tie v Sheffield.

NO MATCH ON THURSDAY

In case there has been any misunderstanding, Monarchs are NOT at Sheffield this Thursday.

This date was originally reserved for the next round of the KO Cup, and was accidentally left in the club fixtures on our website and in the club programme.

THEO'S WORLD DATE

Theo Pijper will drive from Armadale to Manchester after Friday's match, to catch a flight to St Macaire in France where he rides on Saturday in the first World Longtrack Grand Prix.

Neither Henrik Moller nor Rusty Harrison have Scandanavian fixtures this week.

SPONSOR ON FRIDAY

Calton Contracts, commercial and retail flooring specialists from Livingston, sponsor the match v Sheffield on Friday.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER TROPHY MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 23rd JUNE (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

EDINBURGH SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Henrik Moller, Theo Pijper (capt.), Matthew Wethers, William Lawson, Rusty Harrison, Sean Stoddart, Derek Sneddon.

SHEFFIELD PIRTEK TIGERS: Ricky Ashworth, Ben Wilson, Kyle Legault, Emiliano Sanchez, Andre Compton, Paul Cooper, Benji Compton.

SHEFFIELD ALWAYS TOUGH

Sheffield are semi-finalists in the Premier Trophy and as always are likely to be challengers for the Premier League. The Playoff system gives teams like Sheffield, powerful at home, a better chance of taking the title.

Their top man is of course Andre Compton who already has two double figure scores at Armadale this season. Ricky Ashworth did well in the recent Premier Trophy match and much will depend on their spectacular middle pairing of Kyle Legault and Emiliano Sanchez.

UK Under-21 Champion Ben Wilson will be with the Tigers this time; he missed the Premier Trophy match.

LAST WEEK'S MEETING: Monarchs recorded their biggest score of the season, beating Berwick 61-34. Matthew Wethers excelled with a full 15 point maximum and Theo Pijper was also unbeaten by an opponent.

NEXT WEEK'S MEETING: The visitors on 30th June in a Premier League match will be Newport Wasps.