It's the final countdown for the Playoffs

NEWS Tuesday 5th September 2023, 7:22am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Stellar Monarchs race three home matches at Armadale this week and hope to clinch the sixth Playoff place in the Championship. Matches against Poole (Wednesday, 7:30pm) and a double header with Plymouth and Birmingham (Friday, first match 7:00pm) will conclude the regular league season.

It hasn't been the season Monarchs were hoping for but they do currently hold sixth place. Their rivals are Birmingham, Plymouth and Berwick for that position and there are several other relevant matches this week featuring these teams before the cutoff on Sunday night.

Monarchs' number one Craig Cook will not be back for this week's fixtures. Richard Lawson has been booked to guest in Friday's double header but the guest for Wednesday has still to be confirmed.

There will however be one returning injured Monarch – Lasse Fredriksen is returning to the fray feeling that he is sufficiently recovered from his broken wrist – and keen to ride some meetings before the Playoffs, as he says. This means that his injury replacement Max Clegg will drop out, with our thanks for taking on the role.

Bastian Borke will miss Wednesday's match as his presence is required by his Danish club in what is Denmark's agreed race night. Jacob Hook stands in. Bastian may not ride for his Danish club but has been ordered to be on standby.

Team manager Alex Harkess says "We will never go into any match at home to do anything other than win the match, but obviously Poole will be a hard fixture as it is for anyone. Whatever happens in that, we must win the matches in Friday's double header. We are certainly not underestimating our opponents in that one."

Wednesday and Friday's matches will both be Live Streamed for those who cannot attend, details on www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk.

WEDNESDAY'S MATCH:

Wednesday 6th September: Edinburgh Monarchs v Poole Pirates (Championship), Armadale, 7:30pm (Championship)

STELLAR MONARCHS: Guest or rider replacement for Craig Cook, Lasse Fredriksen, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Josh Pickering (captain), Mason Watson (guest), Jacob Hook (guest).

WESSEX MARINE PIRATES: Richard Lawson, Anders Rowe, Ben Cook, Zach Cook, Steve Worrall (captain), Kyle Newman, Joe Thompson.

Full Result Details