A huge effort required

NEWS Thursday 17th September 2026, 1:58pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

Monarchs will have to at least equal their highest score of the season to peg back Champions Poole in their Championship Playoff semi-final, having lost by 24 points in the first leg in Dorset. They previously scored 57 at Armadale against Redcar Bears in early July and that is the minimum score required tomorrow.

They are boasting an unbeaten home record and have beaten Poole twice already this season though not by as big a margin as is needed tomorrow.

Both the Monarchs and the Pirates are at full strength for this tie, a very welcome fact at this stage of the season when guest riders are often rife in British Speedway. Kye Thomson is now at no. 1 as the highest average rider, having had his first outing in that position at Poole. He is one of the most improved riders in the Championship this season. Dan Thompson takes over no. 5.

Poole present their usual strong lineup with British prospects Will Cairns and Cooper Rushen backing their heat leader trio, and exciting American Slater Lightcap at reserve along with Armadale specialist Kyle Newman.

Monarchs' team boss Alex Harkess appreciates the difficulty of the task in hand but expects a very strong performance by his team. "We can only give the best we possibly can. It's a tall order and there's no disputing that at all. Nothing changes, if everybody performs at their best it'll be interesting. Unfortunately in the first leg despite the tremendous effort that was put in, we didn't get the points required."

Friday's match will be Live Streamed on the British Speedway Network

FRIDAY'S MATCH:

Friday 18th August: Edinburgh Monarchs v Poole Pirates (Championship Playoff 2nd leg, Armadale, 7:30pm)

ROSS ECO TECHNOLOGIES MONARCHS: Kye Thomson, Jonatan Grahn, Justin Sedgmen, Paco Castagna (capt.), Dan Thompson, Mitch Cluff, Jordy Loftus.

POOLE WESSEX MARINE PIRATES: Richard Lawson, Will Cairns, Lewis Kerr, Cooper Rushen, Zach Cook (capt.), Slater Lightcap, Kyle Newman.