Bandits Looking To Pillage The Points

NEWS Wednesday 5th July 2017, 12:00pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

After a 2 week break its back to SGB Championship action for the Parsons Peebles Monarchs as they welcome the Berwick Bandits to Armadale this Friday

BANDITS WOES

Unfortunately for the Bandits the hard work being carried out by their new promotion off track is not being mirrored by on track results and the Borderers are currently marooned at the foot of the table having only picked up 10 points from 21 matches.

INJURIES TAKING THEIR TOLL

The story of the Bandits season has been one injury after another and it is no different this week as two of the Bandits normal line-up miss out due to knocks. At number 1 Nick Morris is still suffering the effects of a big crash at Shielfield the other week. This was compounded by another heavy knock while riding for Australia in the World Cup last week and some rest and relaxation is in store for Morris. Stepping into the void is a very familiar face at Armadale this season in the form of Glasgow skipper Aaron Summers.

The second change comes at the bottom end of the team where Lee Payne has been missing for several weeks. It is hoped that Payne will be back shortly but this match came a little too soon and Workington’s Rob Shuttleworth deputises.

Add to this that marquee winter signing Lewis Bridger is currently on the sidelines for an undetermined time due to a complicated back injury and it is not hard to see why they are struggling.

Remarkably only 2 of the current side were in place when the Bandits last visited Armadale back in April and that tells the story.

OLD FACES NEW POSITIONS

The visitors are not the only ones forced into changes ahead of this fixture. Fortunately for the Parsons Peebles Monarchs it is not injury but rather World Cup commitments that are the cause of their changes. Sam Masters has been called up to the Australia team ironically to replace Morris and Ricky Wells will also be in action in Poland after captaining his USA side to the World Cup race off.

2 very familiar faces take their places in the form of current Ipswich duo Rory Schlein and Justin Sedgmen. Of course both are former league winning Monarchs so it is hoped the absence of Masters and Wells will not be overly detrimental. Club co promoter Alex Harkess commenting “We are without Ricky and Sam this week and that will make things tricky however our thanks go to Rory and Justin for stepping in. We are now focusing on the playoffs and at the moment we are well placed but we must win our home matches and I will be looking for that to continue this week.”

Teams for the SGB Championship match at Armadale on Friday 7th July (start time 7:30pm, gates open 6:30pm), are:

PARSONS PEEBLES MONARCHS: Rory Schlein (Guest), Theo Pijper, Justin Sedgmen (Guest), Max Clegg, Erik Riss (capt), Josh Pickering, Mitchell Davey.

BERWICK OLYMPUS MARQUEES BANDITS: Aaron Summers (Guest), Joe Jacobs, Daniel Gappmaier, David Howe, Kevin Doolan (capt), Jye Etheridge, Rob Shuttleworth (Guest)

BANDITS LOOKING TO PULL OFF A SHOCK: While the home men will be heavy favourites to gain all the points on Friday night the Bandits cannot be discounted with the top end power of Aaron Summers sure to be backed up by the guile and experience of seasoned campaigners Kevin Doolan and David Howe. Add to this the threat of ex-Monarch Jye Etheridge at reserve and Joe Jacobs looking to show everyone they were wrong to leave him out at the start of the season and a competitive fixture lies ahead.

LAST MEETING: Last week’s intended Caledonian Riders Championship was a victim of the weather and the decision to call it off had to be made early on Friday morning. This has been rescheduled for the 25th of August

NEXT MEETING: The Parsons Peebles Monarchs SGB Championship quest continues with the visit from the always dangerous Newcastle Diamonds. The Diamonds have some noted Armadale experts in their fold and a tough challenge awaits.

Full Result Details