Monarchs ready for second leg showdown at Ashfield

NEWS Friday 26th September 2025, 7:00am

by PR Team

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Cab Direct Championship Play Off semi-final reaches its climax tomorrow night as the Stellar Monarchs take their 14-point advantage across the M8 to face Glasgow in the second leg at Ashfield Stadium.

A superb 52–38 home win a fortnight ago gave Monarchs the platform, built on fast gating and fierce determination in front of a jubilant Armadale crowd. But manager Alex Harkess has warned the job is only half done, with the Tigers sure to throw everything into the return clash.

"It was a fantastic team performance," said Harkess. "The will to win seemed greater than it's ever been at Armadale. We have the makings of a six-man team now with Rider Replacement for Paco, and if the same determination is shown at Ashfield then we'll be there or thereabouts."

Paco's Message

Captain Paco Castagna will sadly miss out after breaking his shoulder in Pardubice at the weekend, but he has sent a clear message of support to the team and the fans.

"As you know I broke my shoulder in Pardubice. Unfortunately we don't know too much yet because the shoulder is very swollen. We have to wait for it to go down before I can do more tests and see how things are.

"I am very disappointed not to be there on Friday – I was really looking forward to it. At Glasgow I've found my feet lately, but things like this happen in speedway. There's never a good time to be injured.

"I looked at the flights I had, but the doctor told me not to fly and to stay out of the cold to let my shoulder recover.

"So I can't be there for the boys, but they know I'm there in spirit. For now the best thing I can do is rest, and then next week we'll try some therapy.

"Go to Glasgow, help the boys, give them the best support. They are strong enough to do the job – I have a lot of faith in them. I'll be watching from home, very tense and nervous! I want to thank everybody for all the messages."

The Challenge

Glasgow are always strong on home shale and the Tigers will be desperate to turn the tie around. But the Monarchs travel with confidence, having already shown this season that the team can dig deep and upset predictions.

The six-man line-up, with Rider Replacement operating for Castagna, gives every rider except Victor Palovaara the chance to cover a ride – and the Monarchs know a united effort will be key to reaching the Final.

How to Follow

Supporters are encouraged to travel through to Ashfield and back the boys in blue and gold – tickets are available now on the Glasgow Tigers website.

For those unable to attend, the match will be shown live on BSN.

Full Result Details