Image Credit: Ron MacNeill

Hitmen Come To Town

NEWS Wednesday 26th July 2017, 8:13pm

by Graham Muncie

  Edinburgh Monarchs

There is something different in store for Parsons Peebles Monarch’s fans this week as National League outfit Buxton Hitmen visit Armadale in what is being billed as an intermediate challenge.

With the Parsons Peebles Monarchs having raced 13 of their 18 home SGB Championship matches already and a blank Friday in the calendar this match has been set up to help give experience to some of the younger riders that can regularly be seen racing at Armadale but that don’t get the kind of match experience required.

This match will also give track time at a different venue than the visitors would normally race at although at the top end of the Hitmen team there is experience in the form of Matt Williamson who also turns out for Workington and of course current Monarch Max Clegg who also rides for the Derbyshire men will be in a Hitmen race jacket.

As previously mentioned one of the main reason for the staging of this meeting is to see if the next crop of Scottish youngsters namely Dale Lamb, Kev Whelan and Kieran Douglas are ready for the rigours of the National League and competitive team places. The trio will at least have the comfort of riding at Armadale a place they have done hundreds if not thousands of laps at in the past as they look to show what they are capable off.

As well as giving youth a chance it is also hoped that this meeting can be used as a confidence booster for the lower reaches of the Parsons Peebles Monarchs team. Three of the current Championship team will be in action in Josh Pickering, Mitchell Davey and previously mentioned Clegg and the hope is that winning races at Armadale will then carry on into future meetings with a tough calendar of fixtures ahead. Monarchs co- promoter John Campbell explaining “I’m very pleased to welcome Buxton to Armadale tonight and my thanks go to Jayne Moss for bringing a side. The chance to give the 3 Monarchs riders involved tonight the chance to win races at Armadale is important. We’ve reached a critical point in our Championship season and our minimum target is to win all our home matches and to do that we need more than our top 3 to be winning races.

Meeting sponsors on Friday are Pro Bowl and our thanks go to them. Pro Bowl are the premier ten pin bowling alley operators in Scotland with 10 locations and are a regular sponsor at Armadale.

We also wish to thank Duddingston Private Hire and Tweedside Commercials for their contributions.

Fancy showing your support? Heat and Rider sponsorship packages are still available details of which can be found at https://tickets.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/book-tickets/M2017-10018

Please note Season tickets are not valid for Friday's match against Buxton but season ticket holders can enter the stadium through their normal gate at the specially reduced prices of Adults £8, seniors and students £6 and children 12 to 16 £1. Under 12s will be free.

Teams for the Intermediate Challenge match at Armadale on Friday 28th July (start time 7:30pm, gates open 6:30pm), are:

PARSONS PEEBLES MONARCHS: Josh Pickering, Luke Riddick, Ben Hopwood, Dave Wallinger, Mitchell Davey, Dale Lamb, Kev Whelan

BUXTON ADDISON ENGINEERING HITMEN: Matt Williamson, Jamie Halder, Lee Dicken, Shelby Rutherford, Max Clegg, Kieran Douglas, Kean Dicken

EXPERIENCED HITMEN LOOKING TO WIN: It has been a disappointing season so far at National League level for Buxton with only 1 win in 15 matches. However due to the nature of the line-ups in this match they may well go in as favourites. At the top end Matt Williamson and Max Clegg are two well established Championship level riders who have had many a good match at Armadale between them. Undoubtedly the most experienced man on show is Lee Dicken and in an unusual twist his son Kean will line-up in the same team also. Kean was showing tremendous potential last year before a fire caused him to lose all his equipment. The unknown quantities are Jamie Halder and Kieran Douglas and it will be interesting to see how they adapt to this level.

LAST MEETING: The Parsons Peebles pulled away late to secure a 49-41 victory over visiting Newcastle back on July 14th. Main man for the home side was captain Sam Masters with 13 points. The Diamonds were well served by their captain also as Ludvig Lindgren top scored with 10.

NEXT MEETING: It’s back to SGB Championship action and a tough test against the Sheffield. The Tigers have already visited Armadale twice this season in league and cup duty and have acquitted themselves well going down by 4 and 5 points in their two visits so far.