BIGGEST DERBY EVER – FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP

NEWS Wednesday 14th October 2015, 5:13pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Border Roofing Monarchs race their final match of the 2015 season on SATURDAY evening at 7pm at Armadale – the second leg of the Premier Championship Final against Glasgow. The first leg is at Ashfield on Friday night.

It will decide whether Monarchs or Tigers finish the season as Premier League Champions, and we understand that never before in speedway history has a local derby match held such significance.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL SECOND LEG MATCH AT ARMADALE ON SATURDAY 17th October (start time 7.00, doors open 6.00) are:

EDINBURGH BORDER ROOFING MONARCHS: Craig Cook (capt.), Justin Sedgmen, Kevin Wolbert, Erik Riss, Sam Masters, Max Clegg, Rob Branford.

GLASGOW ALLIED VEHICLE TIGERS: Richard Lawson, rider replacement for Kauko Nieminen, Aaron Summers, Nick Morris, Victor Palovaara, Hynek Stichauer, James Sarjeant.

WHAT ARE THEY SAYING?: JOHN CAMPBELL, Monarchs’ promoter: “Well the big night that we have all been waiting for and praying for will be happening and we have our battle royal with our friends from along the M8. I think that we have always been heading for the Championship Final but the Tigers had a bit of a hiccup in mid season that seemed to suggest that they may not make it but they squeezed through to give us our biggest night ever at Armadale. I recently read a comment from Glasgow’s team manager, Stewart Dickson, that it was important to peak at the right time and I’m very pleased that we have done so!”

CRAIG COOK, Monarchs’ captain: “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens but I feel the pressure is on Glasgow, they are the team which has been hyped up with all this money and a fantastic league-winning team, we are just out there having fun, so let them have all the pressure and we will go out there and do our thing as usual.

“I’m quite happy that the first leg is in Glasgow, we know how strong we are at home. We can look for damage limitation at Glasgow, or better still let’s just go and win it there! That would make it easy for us at home.”

ROB BRANFORD, Monarchs’ no. 7: “says “I think not only me but the whole team is looking forward to the weekend’s matches. We definitely had that as the target. It was our goal in our minds at the start of the season and it is great to be in the team which is riding in so many meetings at this stage of the season.

“It is a big one but I am looking forward to it and at the end of the day all I can do is go out there and give it my best effort. I will try not to let the pressure get to me, I haven’t been in this big a final before. It’s all going to be a big experience.

“I just have to treat it like any other meeting and play my part. I think we can win it, we have such a good team and such a great bunch of lads, I am hoping that our will to win and our good team spirit will get us the trophy at the end.

“It’s speedway and anything can happen, I just hope it all goes right on the day!”

TIGERS CHANGE ORDER: Tigers’ team manager Stewart Dickson has earned a reputation as the ‘Tinkerman’ of Speedway (for those who get the football reference) and once again he has adjusted his team’s riding order, pairing two of their top three average riders in the middle pairing – Aaron Summers and Nick Morris.

Summers has been in outstanding form recently. Morris is also one of the riders who can take a rider replacement ride for the injured Nieminen, so he has an important part to play on Saturday.

James Sarjeant is likely to be another man to watch following his excellent scoring against Somerset in the Playoff semi-final.

Tigers performed poorly at Armadale in the recent League Cup Final so they will be doubly determined to make amends this time. We expect a very tough battle indeed for the big prize over the two days.

LAST MEETING: The Border Roofing Monarchs beat Peterborough 58-32 to overturn the 2-point deficit from the first leg and qualify for the Championship Final. Craig Cook scored a paid maximum.

Full Result Details