DECISION DAY

NEWS Sunday 14th September 2014, 2:00pm

by Toby Lerone

  Edinburgh Monarchs

And so we arrive at Play-off cut-off day and the Scotwaste Monarchs must secure a league point at Glasgow this afternoon to secure top spot in the league and first pick of play off opponent.

The three points secured by the Scotwaste Monarchs at Armadale on Saturday evening has taken us level on points with Somerset but the Rebels remain on top of the league due to a superior points difference. Had the Monarchs scored a 60 to 30 win over the Diamonds we could have gone to Glasgow knowing that we could lose and still top the league. Against a Diamonds team with four excellent Armadale riders in their team that was always going to be an unlikely outcome.

Craig Cook and Stevie Worrall will look to turn disappointing shows from Saturday night into much bigger scores on Sunday although only Max Fricke could be entirely happy with his performance on Saturday.

With all the Scotwaste Monarchs in action on Saturday evening the Tigers were busy also with only Victor Palovaara and Tero Aarnio not racing somewhere. Theo Pijper was in the World Long Track Grand Prix in France and he finished fourth. The later start time will allow him ample time to return from France. Kevin Wolbert was at Workington guesting in the double header for Sheffield. Kasper Lykke made the long trip to Rye House for a guest booking for the Rockets and Tigers guest reserve, Mason Campton, also raced in the Workington Double header. Tigers will again use rider replacement for Rusty Harrison.

With Workington picking up five points in their double header last night and Newcastle leaving our track with nothing the top six have now been settled. Ourselves, Somerset, Ipswich, Berwick, Scunthorpe and Workington are all now awaiting the outcome of today's Ashfield encounter.