VERY TOUGH TEST AS THE LEAGUE PROGRAMME STARTS

NEWS Tuesday 8th May 2012, 9:08pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs performed brilliantly home and away against Berwick last weekend, but they will need to be at least as good in their first home Premier League match on Friday if they are to defeat the powerful Ipswich Witches.

The Witches are virtually certain qualifiers from the southern League Cup section and are living up to predictions that they will be strong challengers for honours this season. Monarchs will still be without Derek Sneddon but welcome back Charles Wright who missed last weekend’s matches.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 11th MAY (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Rider replacement for Derek Sneddon, Theo Pijper, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Andrew Tully, Micky Dyer, Charles Wright.

IPSWICH: Leigh Lanham, rider replacement for Taylor Poole, Kevin Doolan (capt.), Dakota North, Matt Tresarrieu, Cameron Heeps, Rohan Tungate.

LEAGUE CUP: By gaining a point with a great display at Berwick, Monarchs moved into second place in the northern section of the League Cup, but their fixtures are finished and they will be overtaken when the table is complete.

Workington are certain qualifiers and the other position is probably between Scunthorpe and Newcastle.

The southern section has been affected by rain but it looks sure to be Ipswich and Somerset who qualify for the semi finals.

AUSSIE INFLUENCE: Australia are invariably successful in producing young riders, and two of the best of the new breed line up at reserve for the Witches on Friday.

Of course Monarchs have a young Aussie of their own, and last weekend Micky had his most encouraging matches so far for Monarchs.

So his clashes with the visiting pair of Cameron Heeps (16) and Rohan Tungate (22) will be very interesting.

Both these riders had matches in the UK last season but are scoring superbly in their first full British seasons.

Tungate actually paid a visit to Armadale and had second half races. However it is not always the easiest track for newcomers to adapt to.

The young starlets of course will have Kevin Doolan and Dakota North to help them, two other more experienced Australian riders.

How nice it would be if the UK could produce riders at the rate the Australians do. But that’s another story.

WORKINGTON ON SATURDAY: The Scotwaste Monarchs are at Workington in a Premier League match on Saturday, start time 7pm.

SPONSORS ON FRIDAY: We are delighted to welcome Keyline Broxburn as sponsors of Friday’s match, their first visit of the season.

TOP SIDE: Ipswich had an unlucky start to the season when they lost two riders in their opening meeting – Morten Risager and Taylor Poole.

However unlike Edinburgh who cannot easily replace Derek Sneddon (and Charles Wright who was out last weekend), they were able to speedily strengthen up by bringing in Leigh Lanham who had been included in the now-defunct Newport team.

Added to a strong rider replacement for Taylor Poole, the net result is a definite improvement in the Witches side. They don’t seem to have a weak link and in Doolan and Lanham, they have two of the most experienced men in the league. Both go very well at Armadale and have done for years.

Their reserves are potentially devastating and Dakota North has been scoring strongly in recent matches too.

LAST MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs did extremely well to beat Berwick 59-33 last Friday. Both Andrew Tully and Theo Pijper were unbeaten.

NEXT MEETING: Visitors to Armadale in the Premier League next Friday are Leicester Lions, who won at Armadale last season and who won at Glasgow last Sunday!