The WTF Monarchs’ riders will attempt to overcome Redcar Bears over two legs of their Championship play-off tie, writes Gordon Campbell.
And the winners will reach the play-off semi-finals against either Leicester Lions or Glasgow Tigers and nobody wants this weekend to be the final Monarchs’ matches of the season!
Of course they know the size of the task in hand because last week they were fairly well beaten by the same opposition in the Knockout Cup semi-final. The first leg of the play-off is at Armadale on Friday at 7.30pm and the second at Redcar’s Ecco Arena on Sunday at 5pm.
Redcar’s Erik Riss is still on the injured list and for the first leg and former Edinburgh rider, Aaron Summers (pictured), comes in as a guest. Monarchs have their full side available and will certainly be looking for better than the 4-point advantage their gained from the Cup tie Armadale leg.
Norwegian no. 2 Lasse Fredriksen, who ro de well and won a heat in the Redcar leg last time after a poor night at home, feels Monarchs can do it. “Well we’ve got to believe,” he says. “We are certainly up for it at home and will be looking for a better lead, maybe 8 to 10 points at least to take to Redcar. At Redcar, well you will rarely see Sam score 4 as he did last week, he won’t do that again. I definitely think we can do it.”
Friday’s meeting will be sponsored by Burgh Glazing of Edinburgh who will view the action from the George Hunter Memorial Lounge. The British Speedway Network will make their fourth visit of the season as they are streaming all the Championship Playoff matches.
Streaming Details on www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk or via the BSN section of the SGB website.
WTF MONARCHS: Sam Masters (captain), Lasse Fredriksen, Kye Thomson , Paco Castagna, Josh Pickering, James Sarjeant, Jacob Hook.
AGILIA BEARS: Aaron Summers, Jason Edwards, Charles Wright, Jordan Jenkins, Lewis Kerr (captain) Kyle Newman, Kasper Andersen.
Sunday 11th September: Redcar Bears v Edinburgh Monarchs (Championship Playoff second leg), Ecco Arena, 5pm
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