GOING FOR A RECORD 24 ON FRIDAY

NEWS Tuesday 15th July 2014, 8:37pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs have so far ridden 23 matches unbeaten this season and can pass the record set by Arena-Essex in the 1991 season if they don't lose to Workington Comets in the Premier League at Armadale on Friday.

The Comets will be bring top heat leaders Josh Grajczonek, Ricky Wells and Rene Bach and have been one of the best travelling teams in the division this year, while being surprisingly vulnerable at home (three defeats). Even at full strength Monarchs will be approaching this match as they always do, a tough fixture for which they want to be at their best.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 18th JULY (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Craig Cook, Justin Sedgmen, Max Fricke, Steve Worrall, Sam Masters, Aaron Fox, Derek Sneddon (capt.).

WORKINGTON COMETS: Josh Grajczonek, rider replacement for Kyle Howarth, Rene Bach (capt.), Mason Campton, Ricky Wells, Liam Carr, Simon Lambert.

WEEKEND AWAY: There are two tough matches to be raced at the weekend starting with Berwick on Saturday (7pm).

This is the first leg of the Knockout Cup quarter-final with the return at Armadale next Friday. Berwick hit form last week with a big win at Redcar and other than one bad home night they are having an excellent season.

The following day we head off to Peterborough for a Premier League match (5pm). The Panthers have just qualified for the League Cup Final against ourselves and are in excellent form.

Panthers have recently been racing without Ryan Fisher and Ales Dryml though with shrewd guest choices it has not been hampering them – perhaps rather the opposite.

THE RECORD: Arena-Essex's 23 matches in 1991 was identified by Peter Oakes as the best ever winning run. It consisted of 18 league matches, three KO Cup and two in the BSPA Cup.

Monarchs' run has been made up of: two Air Fence Challenge matches, six League Cup qualifiers, 2 League Cup semi-finals and 13 league matches.

12 of the matches have been at Armadale and 11 away, and we have raced on 9 of the 12 opposition tracks (the others being Rye House, Peterborough and Somerset).

So if we win or draw on Friday that will be 24, though to reach 24 in official competition we would have to also avoid defeat in the two weekend away matches, which clearly is a very tough task indeed.

MATCH SPONSORS: Friday's match is sponsored by our old friends from Keyline Broxburn, making their third visit of the season as match sponsors.

COMETS CAN STILL CHALLENGE: At the time of writing Workington have ridden the fewest matches in the Premier League (7), two less than anyone else and six less than the league leaders, the Scotwaste Monarchs.

They have won both of their away matches but lost to Berwick in one of their four home fixtures (they won the others).

So there is still plenty of time for the Comets to climb the table and grab one of the six playoff slots that everyone would have predicted for them at the start of the season.

Josh Grajczonek has continued his rise to the top this season and is a fine no. 1 for the Comets, backed by the high scoring Ricky Wells and Rene Bach.

They need points elsewhere of course, and currently have to use rider replacement for second string Kyle Howarth, who has struggled on recent visits to Armadale. Bach, Campton and the reserves can take the rides.

Mason Campton is often a key man, back in the UK after missing last season due to the visa issues. He recently scored 6 points guesting for Plymouth at Armadale.

At reserve Ashley Morris is currently injured and Berwick's Liam Carr will stand in. Simon Lambert is the other reserve, a recent introuduction to the side.

LAST MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs suffered a rain-off at Armadale on 4th July and didn't have a meeting last week as it was Somerset / Cardiff weekend!

NEXT WEEK: On Friday 25th July the Scotwaste Monarchs race Berwick at Armadale in the second leg of the KO Cup quarter final.

CHAMPIONS!: The 2014 Premier Pairs Champions Sam Masters and Max Fricke will be parading their trophies on Friday!

The young Aussies made history in a competition that the club hadn't won since 1986, when Les Collins and Doug Wyer were successful at Hackney.

Doug was present to see it happen as he has been working this season with Sheffield and had travelled to the meeting.

HARRISON'S SCOTTISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP: Bookings have been sent out to the field for this year's big individual event which is at Armadale on Friday 1st August. Sponsorship of riders (£150) and heats (£250) will be invited with forms being issued at this Friday's meeting. The holder of the title is Craig Cook, and acceptances will be announced as we receive them.

Full Result Details