Tough Test for our Team

NEWS Thursday 1st September 2022, 3:17pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The What The Fork Monarchs head for Redcar on Friday with the aim of getting something better than a four-point defeat in order to qualify for the Knockout Cup Final.

Redcar beat us 45-39 in a match postponed after 14 heats when we visited in the Championship. They have only once scored more than 50, though they have only lost twice (to Glasgow and Poole).

History is all very well but you don't really need to look at the results to know that it will be a difficult task for our side who will have to be at their best – which could not be said of our performance in the first leg.

Over the years we have had a habit of achieving exceptional results when the chips are down, for example most recently a 2-point win at Oxford after being ten down at one point. Well the chips are down tomorrow and the Monarchs' men will give it their all.

The ubiquitous Richard Lawson rides in place of Erik Riss, and we know from performances both for and against us that Richard is in excellent form. Bears have a change at reserve with Kasper Andersen dropping to no. 7 as Jordan Jenkins comes into the main body of the team.

Monarchs were in the Cup Final last year but rode poorly in losing to Poole. We'd love to have another shot at it. The teams we might meet in the Final are Poole, Leicester or Scunthorpe with the latter two still to complete their quarter final.

Teams tomorrow:

Redcar Bears: Richard Lawson, Jason Edwards, Charles Wright, Jordan Jenkins, Lewis Kerr, Kyle Newman, Kasper Andersen.

Edinburgh Monarchs: Sam Masters, Lasse Fredriksen, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Josh Pickering, James Sarjeant, Jacob Hook.

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