Action from Witches' last visit Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

CRUNCH TIME IN CUP AND LEAGUE

NEWS Tuesday 9th October 2012, 9:02pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs face tough but not impossible tasks in both the KO Cup and Premier Playoffs with Ipswich coming to Armadale on Friday in the Cup semi-final.

Monarchs face a 20-point deficit but with a virtual full team, there is a lot of belief in the camp. They need to score 56 points which they have achieved NINE times at home this season! Craig Cook returns to action this week and the top six are in place, with James Sarjeant stepping in at second reserve. Ipswich will be without Dakota North, top scorer in the first leg, as the teams bid to race either Newcastle or Workington in the KO Cup Final.

TEAMS FOR THE KO CUP SEMI-FINAL SECOND LEG AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 12th October (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Derek Sneddon, Theo Pijper, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Andrew Tully, Jozsef Tabaka, James Sarjeant.

IPSWICH WITCHES: Leigh Lanham, Morten Risager, Taylor Poole, rider replacement for Dakota North, Rohan Tungate, Matt Tresarrieu, Stefan Nielsen.

CUP CHANCE: Monarchs will be aiming to hit hard from the off as they try to score 56 on Friday. This will be enough as there are no Tactical Rides in the KO Cup.

Monarchs have hit that level at home this season nine times - against Glasgow (twice), Berwick (twice), Rye House (twice), Sheffield, Somerset and Newcastle – so they can do it!

PREMIER PLAYOFFS: Just to sum up the position as it stands in the Premier Playoffs, in our section at the moment it is –

Scunthorpe 7 pts from 4 matches. Race points +42.

Workington 3 pts from 2 matches. Race points -23.

Edinburgh 2 pts from 2 matches. Race points -19.

Monarchs race Workington away on Saturday and at Armadale next Friday.

So we face an uphill task in our matches against the Comets and realistically need to take 6 points to win the section. At the very least we can decide who does go through! Workington would need to take 5 points from the matches against us to qualify.

In the other section the remaining matches are between Somerset and Leicester home and away, with the Rebels needing 3 points to qualify.

NO MARCEL: Marcel Helfer’s commitment this week is in Pardubice, which is why Monarchs have asked James Sarjeant to ride.

Byron Bekker had agreed to ride and has done very well recently, but sadly Byron broke his leg last Sunday racing at Mildenhall.

MATCH SPONSORS: Sponsoring this week’s match at Armadale will be a group of supporters celebrating the arrival of daughter Daisy to Stevie Gilroy and Linzi Brough.

UNPREDICTABLE WITCHES: This season (as last) Ipswich were strongly fancied for honours this year, but have had a mixed time.

However at their best they can be brilliant – for example they won by over 20 points at Berwick in a cup tie, and have also won at Redcar and Rye House. On the other hand they have lost three times at home in the league.

Remarkably they don’t have a rider with an average over 7, but they have five over 6 plus powerhouse reserve Tresarrieu just under. There could hardly be a more solid team.

Leigh Lanham brings experience, the rest of the side are talented youngsters.

LAST MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs beat Scunthorpe 48-42 in their first home Premier Playoff match. Monarchs took 2 points and Scunthorpe 1 which puts the Scorpions in a good position to qualify for the final. Matthew Wethers (11) top scored for Monarchs.

NEXT MEETING: Monarchs will race their second home Premier Playoff match against Workington on Friday 19th October. They will know if they can still make the final, if they are in the KO Cup Final, or if this will be the closing meeting.