We need to beat the Bandits

NEWS Thursday 13th September 2018, 10:33am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Staggs Bar Monarchs and the Berwick KLS Bandits meet in the Championship at Armadale on Friday, both teams still in contention for a place in the Playoffs for which the cutoff for qualification is Sunday.

Both Bandits and Monarchs need to take maximum points from this match to retain their chance which should ensure a hard-fought fixture. Monarchs will try to shrug off the disappointment of a poor performance at Glasgow on Tuesday and perform as they have been doing regularly at home, although this will be without star reserve Joel Andersson who is replaced by Scunthorpe's Gino Manzares.

Bandits have a doubt over David Howe but will employ rider replacement if he doesn't make it. At this point Monarchs sit fourth and Berwick seventh in the table, and both need every point they can get. Berwick went close against Peterborough last Sunday and have had their best season for a while. They are unlikely to submit on Friday as tamely as some of the recent opposition has done.

On the home side thankfully top men Wells, Worrall and Riss take a much needed break in fixtures having been extremely busy with their Premiership clubs recently as well. Worrall and Riss will be involved in the forthcoming Premiership Playoffs which commence next week.

Promoter Alex Harkess said "Almost everything about our performance on Tuesday was disappointing but we have to forget that and be at our best on Friday. We want to finish on 38 points and hope that will be enough when all the results are in."

Following the main fixture on Friday there will be a Northern Junior League match between the Dale Devils and Workington.

THIS WEEK'S MEETING:

Friday 14th September: Staggs Bar Monarchs v Berwick (Championship), 7:30pm

STAGGS BAR MONARCHS: Ricky Wells, Victor Palovaara, Josh Pickering, Richie Worrall, Erik Riss (captain), William Lawson, Gino Manzares (Guest).

BERWICK KLS BANDITS: Aaron Summers, David Howe (if fit), Jye Etheridge, Kevin Doolan (capt.), Nikolai Busk Jakobsen, Dany Gappmaier, Theo Pijper.

Full Result Details