Max leads the way Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

Up For The Cup

PREVIEW Saturday 30th July 2016, 9:38pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

After the proposed first leg was washed out at Armadale a fortnight ago we go into Knockout Cup quarter final action tomorrow against the Glasgow ‘Allied Vehicle’ Tigers at Ashfield tomorrow.

This may be the shortest preview of the season from me as this is already the 7th scheduled match (although 3 have fallen foul to the weather) between the two sides so not sure I have much left to say.

This is our 3rd visit to Ashfield so far this season and we have been on the receiving end of 19 and 12 point defeats so far and it would have to be said we will need to do better than this should we wish to progress to the Semi final of the only 7 man competition we failed to retain last year.

The one advantage we will have is that we will go into the meeting with our full 1-7 and with our reserves showing the best form they have all season. We have all watched on in interest at the exploits of the Monarchs top 3 in the world cup and we can only take pride in the fact that no other team in British Speedway Elite or Premier league had as many participants in the competition as the Monarchs.

As previously mentioned we saw the best of Max and Dan on Friday both racing to their top scores of the season and recording 3 race wins each. Our youngsters will be key again as our reserves have only recorded 2 and 4 respectively in our two trips west so far this season. Glasgow go into the match with Nike Lunna at reserve having just returned from a broken hand and he looks like he has never been away having rocketed to 7 paid 9 and 7 paid 10 in Glasgow’s two away matches at Berwick and Redcar last midweek. Joining Nike at reserve in a change to the Glasgow line-up is Luke Chessell. Chessell replaces Danny Ayres who is forced to sit out with concussion and will look to replicate the scoring of the Ashfield cult hero.

It is hard to gauge Glasgow’s form around Armadale to hazard a guess at what kind of score line will be required for either side to feel confident of progression after tomorrow as Glasgow have only visited Armadale once this season and on that occasion the Monarchs prevailed 46-43 however both teams have since made line-up changes and it has to be said that on that night there was very little to race for as Glasgow had already progressed to the semi’s of the League Cup.

As we do every match though the Border Roofing Monarchs will go into the match looking for a victory and if this is not to come then will look to keep it as close as possible for the return leg at Armadale on the 26th.

Glasgow Allied Vehicle Tigers

1- Richard Lawson

2- Fernando Garcia

3- Richie Worrall

4- Rene Bach

5- Aaron Summers

6- Nike Lunna

7- Luke Chessell (Guest)

Edinburgh Border Roofing Monarchs

1- Sam Masters

2- Mark Riss

3- Erik Riss

4- Ryan Fisher

5- Kevin Wolbert

6- Max Clegg

7- Dan Bewley