BIG TEST IN SCOTTISH DERBY

NEWS Wednesday 26th August 2009, 9:27am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs face probably their biggest test of the season on Friday with the Scottish derby against Glasgow at Armadale.

Tigers have three of Armadale's best exponents in their side and are hungry for an away win to move them up the table. Monarchs are unbeaten by Premier opposition at Armadale for two years but their ?transitional' side of the moment will have to be at its best to keep that record intact.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 28th AUGUST (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, Max Dilger, Kevin Wolbert, Matthew Wethers (captain), Michal Rajkowski, Aaron Summers, Byron Bekker.

GLASGOW A-PLANT TIGERS: Shane Parker, Josh Grajczonek, William Lawson, Sandi Conda, James Grieves, Mitchell Davey, Lee Dicken.

TOP TRIO: Never can a visiting team have come to Armadale with a heat leader trio so experienced and successful at the track.

Shane Parker, James Grieves and William Lawson have more than 180 matches between them at the west Lothian track, Grieves and Lawson of course having ridden in Monarchs' colours.

Parker and Grieves are amongst a very select band of riders who have career averages above 9 round the track, and Lawson topped the Edinburgh averages last season before being loaned out this year.

SIX HOME IN THREE WEEKS: A reminder of the home programme Monarchs have put together in order to race their matches before the cutoff date.

Next weekend Armadale will see Speedway on the Friday and Saturday - Workington visit on Friday 4th September and Somerset at 6.30pm on the next day.

The following weekend Armadale stages its first double header starting at 7pm with matches against Rye House in the KO Cup semi-final and Stoke in the Premier League.

Not content with that, there is another double header a week later, this time against Berwick and Redcar in the Premier League.

It's a series of matches unprecedented in the club's history.

MATCH SPONSOR: Sponsoring Friday's big match against Glasgow will be Headlam Group who have backed speedway at Armadale for several years.

Headlam Group, a business engaged in the distribution and supply of floorcoverings, was established during the 1990's by a series of acquisitions in the UK and Continental Europe.

TIGERS MOVING UP: Glasgow did not start their league campaign well and lost four matches at home early on. However with their strengthened lineup boosted dramatically by the inclusion of William Lawson, there are intent on getting as far away from the foot of the table as they can.

Their prospects probably depend on getting at least one of their lower order riders picking up points to back up the very impressive heat leader trio.

Josh Grajczonek is a very talented Aussie who hasn't yet done himself justice at Armadale. Sandi Conda the Slovenian is completely new of course but may not be fit (in which case rider replacement would operate).

There are potential points in the Tigers' reserve berth also. It will certainly be a tough match for the Scotwaste Monarchs and of course Tigers' boss Stewart Dickson has already rated it a -banker' for his team!

LAST MEETING: Monarchs did well last Friday to beat title challengers Birmingham 38-34 in a Premier League match curtailed by the rain. Ryan Fisher won all his three rides.

NEXT MEETING: Next weekend Monarchs race two matches at Armadale, against Workington on Friday 4th September and Somerset on Saturday 5th September (start time 6.30pm).

Full Result Details