CHAMPIONS FACE STOKE

NEWS Wednesday 8th September 2010, 8:21am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs' fans can celebrate their team's third league title, but the riders will have to deal with the challenge of Stoke Potters on Friday before they can join the party.

No fewer than four of the Potters will be making their Armadale debut, and they have two former Elite League riders at reserve! The match completes Monarchs' home league programme for 2010 but there are still big matches in KO Cup and Playoffs to come in the remaining weeks of the season.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 10th SEPTEMBER (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Kevin Wolbert or replacement, Kalle Katajisto, Andrew Tully, Ashley Morris, William Lawson.

STOKE EASY RIDER POTTERS: Frank Facher, Taylor Poole, Ben Wilson, Lee Smart, Jeremiah Thelaus, Ricky Wells (capt.), Lubos Tomicek.

KEVIN COULD BE MISSING: Disappointingly, Kevin Wolbert's German team Gustrow have rescheduled a Bundesliga match for Friday.

Discussions which also involve the German Federation (DMSB) are continuing but it is possible that Kevin won't be available for Monarchs on Friday.

PREMIER LEAGUE: The Scotwaste Monarchs performed brilliantly in a five-day spell last week. They needed to take five points from away matches at King's Lynn, Stoke and Glasgow to clinch the title, but they far exceeded that, taking the full four points available each time to roar home as champions.

It was a historic week as Monarchs won 53-42 at King's Lynn, 51-41 at Stoke and 51-44 at Glasgow, even though the opposition teams picked up 14 TR points in the course of the 3 matches.

Monarchs (who have won a remarkable 10 out of 12 away matches) are now on 69 points, and the best anyone else can do is 61 (Newcastle). The Diamonds are likely to finish second and Birmingham third.

The fourth Playoff place appears to lie between Rye House and Sheffield.

ADRIAN RYMEL: All supporters are hoping for positive news on the injuries suffered by Berwick's no. 1 Adrian Rymel at last week's Armadale meeting. We will not be issuing any news because that will come from Berwick, but of course everyone wishes Adrian a full and speedy recovery.

MEETING SPONSOR: Friday's match will be sponsored by the Black Bull in of Mid Calder.

POTTERS BUILDING: For a long time Stoke were noted for the employment of veterans, and while they have not pulled up any trees this year they have at least made good progress in building a team round a younger group of riders.

The two teams on view on Friday are probably the youngest in the league, and Potters have no-one older than 24.

Four riders will be at Armadale for the first time ? Frank Facher (Germany), Jeremiah Thelaus (Sweden), Taylor Poole (Australia) and Ricky Wells (USA).

Poole has probably been their major success this season (he represents Stoke at the Premier League Riders' Championship later this month) but the other area in which the Potters may be a threat is at reserve, where Ricky Wells and Lubos Tomicek were Elite League regulars last season

LAST MEETING: Monarchs' challenge match with Berwick was abandoned without completing a heat due to concerns over injuries suffered in that first race by Adrian Rymel. The meeting ambulance was required to take him to Hospital in Edinburgh.

NEXT MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs turn their attention to the Knockout Cup and the semi-final against Workington. The Armadale leg is on Friday 17th September with the second leg the next day.

Full Result Details