Playoffs begin with in-form Scorpions

NEWS Thursday 14th September 2023, 7:29am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Stellar Monarchs join the Championship Playoffs this Friday with a visit from Scunthorpe Scorpions. It's a three-team group also featuring the reigning champions the Poole Pirates with the winners qualifying for the Playoff final.

Monarchs will not be amongst the favourites to make it but it is in our own hands. We start level and will have to reverse previous defeats this season by both our rival teams but we do have a stronger lineup for Friday's meeting than for the previous visits by Scunthorpe and Poole.

Justin Sedgmen steps in as guest replacement for Craig Cook at number one, and Bastian Borke is fit and raring to go after withdrawing from last Friday's double header with an arm injury.

Supporters will have seen Scunthorpe make a great start to their Playoffs by drawing away at Poole (going down in the subsequent Superheat but gaining a priceless away point). So that is the measure of the task ahead for our team, with Ryan Douglas spearheading the Scorpions backed by a solid lineup.

Team boss Alex Harkess says "I look on it as the ideal opposition to start with, so let's take them on and do something. Our guest Justin Sedgmen knows all about this club and if he can give Josh the backup, and our 3 and 4 partnership comes good, then we will not be far away."

Friday's match will be Live Streamed by British Speedway network for those who cannot attend, with our own stream for our Gold members only.

FRIDAY'S MATCH:

Friday 15th September: Edinburgh Monarchs v Scunthorpe Scorpions (Championship Playoff), Armadale, 7:30pm.

STELLAR MONARCHS: Justin Sedgmen (guest), Lasse Fredriksen, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Josh Pickering (captain), Dayle Wood, Bastian Borke.

ATTIS INSURANCE SCORPIONS: Ryan Douglas, Connor Mountain, Simon Lambert, Jake Allen, Michael Palm Toft, Nathan Ablitt, Drew Kemp.

The match will be followed by a Northern Junior League match Armadale Angels v Ashfield Giants