Huge task before us in the second leg

NEWS Thursday 21st October 2021, 10:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The What the Fork Monarchs had hoped to do quite a bit better in tonight's first leg of the Championship Playoff semi-final, than they had earlier in the Knockout Cup. But it was not to be and the deficit following the Ashfield leg is a pretty disappointing 22 points.

Everyone will be well aware, mind you, that Monarchs did beat Tigers by 20 last Friday in the Cup second leg – so supporters will try to believe that they can even top that and qualify for the Championship Final against Poole.

Trying to come to terms with his team's poor showing, team manager John Campbell said "Glasgow have got the track set the way their guys like it and our guys didn't cope with it at all. It was a cold night and it was difficult to get the right setup for the track. But there's no excuse, we weren't good enough, didn't cope with it. Glasgow were far better on the night. Both Richie and Kye were very disappointed with their performances.

"We had a mountain to climb last week and we did it, I don't know what you'd say it is this week – Everest probably. If we can match our performance of last week when we beat them by 20 then it's going to be tight, that's for sure."

Things had looked hopeful at heat 5 with the score standing at 16-14 to the Tigers, with Jason Edwards (heat 2) and Sam Masters (heat 5) having won races. However over the course of the next 7 heats no less than 5 of these went by a 5-1 margin to Glasgow. The only bright spots during that spell were a superb ride from the back by Josh Pickering to win heat 7, and a Sam Masters win from the tapes in heat 11.

Tigers were generally better from the starts but even more important was the willingness of the home side to ride high on the bends to get the necessary drive. Outwith Masters and Pickering, Monarchs weren't able to get the hang of that route to success.

Tigers had no weak links at all and Craig Cook was particularly exceptional, even brilliantly passing Sam Masters in heat 15 when Monarchs looked on their way to a race advantage. But it wasn't only Cook, others such as Nicol, Jensen, Nowak and Bailey were coming from the back, riding far better than we saw them last Friday.

Could things swing back the other way? Our riders will be keen to shrug off their disappointment and prove that they can shock the Tigers once more.

As with all Armadale matches this season all three of the Friday and Saturday matches will be Live Streamed, however the stream will be available only to those outwith a 25 mile radius of the track. Anyone within that limit but unable to attend should email us here.

ARMADALE MATCHES THIS WEEKEND:

Friday 22nd October: What the Fork Monarchs v Glasgow (Championship Playoff semi-final second leg), Armadale, 7:30pm

WHAT THE FORK MONARCHS: Sam Masters (capt.), Anders Rowe, Kye Thomson, Josh Pickering, Richie Worrall, Drew Kemp, Jason Edwards (guest)

ALLIED VEHICLES TIGERS: Craig Cook, Sam Jensen, Broc Nicol, Tom Brennan, Ricky Wells (capt.), Cameron Heeps (guest), Connor Bailey

Saturday 23rd October: What the Fork Monarchs v Poole (Championship KO Cup Final first leg), Armadale, 2:30pm

WHAT THE FORK MONARCHS: Sam Masters (capt.), Anders Rowe, Kye Thomson, Josh Pickering, Richie Worrall, Drew Kemp, Jason Edwards (guest)

POOLE PIRATES: Stevie Worrall, Danyon Hume, Rory Schlein, Ben Cook, Danny King (capt.), Connor Bailey (guest), Benjamin Basso

Saturday 23rd October: Armadale Stellar Devils v Mildenhall Fen Tigers (National Development League), Armadale, following the Monarchs v Poole match

ARMADALE STELLAR DEVILS: William Lawson (guest), Gregor Millar, Tom Woolley (capt.), George Rothery, Danny Phillips, Archie Freeman, Lewis Millar

MANCHETTS FEN TIGERS: Jordan Jenkins, rider replacement for Luke Ruddick, Sam Hagon, Nathan Ablitt, Jason Edwards, Sam Bebee, Elliot Kelly