PLAYOFF TARGET FOR VISITING DIAMONDS

NEWS Tuesday 12th September 2006, 10:00am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs host Newcastle Diamonds at Armadale on Friday in a match which is important for both teams.

The home side want to get away from the foot of the table and can't afford a defeat, while the Diamonds would virtually clinch a top 8 Premier Playoff place if they can win at Armadale. Newcastle's excellent record at Armadale is well known but Monarchs got back to winning ways last Friday and are certainly no pushovers.

THE LEAGUE SITUATION

Friday's match will have a big bearing on the Playoff qualifiers.

Newcastle are locked in a battle for eighth place with Workington, whose visit to Armadale isn't until 22nd September, 5 days after the cutoff for the Playoffs.

If Newcastle win they will almost certainly qualify. If they lose but take the aggregate bonus, attention will switch to Diamonds' visit to Workington the following night.

Monarchs themselves are battling with Newport and Mildenhall to avoid the wooden spoon. It would be fair to say there are no poor sides in the league this year, and all are picking up points, so Monarchs can't afford to lose.

Current standings:

8. Workington 27 pts. 9. Newcastle 26 pts.

12. Mildenhall 19 pts, 13. Edinburgh 18 pts, 14. Newport 18 pts.

NO DOUBLE HEADER

Workington would have liked Edinburgh to stage a double header on Friday and host themselves as well as Newcastle. Both of these teams suffered a postponed meeting at Armadale in August.

This would have allowed both northern clubs a fair crack at qualifying via an Armadale victory, but Monarchs have informed the Comets and the BSPA that this can't be done.

Alex Harkess said ?We sympathise with Workington (we have been in the same position) but with a start time of 7.30 and a curfew of 10pm, it is impossible to fit in 30 races.?

SPONSOR ON FRIDAY

The sponsors of Friday's match are Mardon Projects of Bathgate, first time sponsors at Armadale. They will be in the George Hunter Memorial Lounge with Monarchs' team sponsors Scotwaste, also of Bathgate, watching from the Champions' Lounge.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 15th SEPTEMBER (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

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

NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS: George Stancl, rider replacement for Manuel Hauzinger, Christian Henry, Josef Franc, James Grieves (capt.), Adam McKinna, Jamie Robertson.

DIAMONDS KNOW THE TRACK: It has been said before but it is still true ? Newcastle know the Armadale track as well as any side. This will give them every chance of doing well in Friday's vital match.

It has not been a good season for Newcastle who were rated one of the league's strongest sides at the start of the season, and they crashed to a dreadful 21-69 defeat at Rye House last week.

However Armadale is a completely different matter. George Stancl and James Grieves are track specialists and have both scored maximums at the West Lothian circuit, while Josef Franc has done well on recent visits.

Christian Henry has been on loan from Monarchs for a while now, and he has probably been man of the season at Brough Park. His form has been tremendous and he will be a key player in Friday's events.

Adam McKinna, formerly a Conference League rider at Armadale, and Jamie Robertson know the track well too, though they haven't scored well this season.

Diamonds will use rider replacement for Austrian Manuel Hauzinger who has missed so many meetings this season. This is the third scheduled visit by Diamonds to Armadale and the Austrian, who has apparently now been sacked, has missed the lot.

THE BONUS POINT: Newcastle beat Edinburgh 50-42 at Brough Park so Edinburgh need to win by more than 8 to take the aggregate bonus.

LAST WEEK'S MEETING: Monarchs beat Stoke 52-40 at Armadale in a match which was close most of the way. Stoke performed better than they have for some time at Armadale and only in the last few heats did Edinburgh pull away. Theo Pijper top scored with a brilliant 15 point maximum.

NEXT WEEK'S MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs race against Workington in a Premier League match at Armadale on Friday 22nd September.