Monarchs track against pace-setting Poole

Stellar Monarchs face Cab Direct Championship pace-setters, Poole Pirates, at Armadale on Friday (tapes-up 7.30pm) and draft in guest riders Troy Batchelor and Drew Kemp to cover for the absence of crocked Justin Sedgmen and Kye Thomson.

Monarchs go into the clash with some hope have defeated Wessex Marine-sponsored Poole in the Knockout Cup early in the season before going out of the competition on aggregate, and they have also performed well down at Poole.

Pirates, however, will be determined to win to cement top spot in the table which ensures they can choose their opponents in the play-off semi-finals.

Poole use experienced Paul Starke in place of injured recent signing Vinnie Foord at No 7, otherwise the visitors are at full strength with a top-class heat leader trio of Richard Lawson, Ben Cook and Tom Brennan.

Alex Harkess, Monarchs’ team manager, said: “When Poole came early in the season we were eight points up after four races. We didn’t keep that up, but we still kept ahead and won the match.

“I am no less hopeful of beating Poole than I was against Scunthorpe last week, because the bottom line is I don’t know what we are going to do.”

STELLAR MONARCHS: Josh Pickering, Drew Kemp, Lasse Fredriksen, Paco Castagna (Capt.), Troy Batchelor, Max James, Connor Coles.

WESSEX MARINE PIRATES: Richard Lawson, Sam Hagon, Ben Cook (Capt), Zach Cook, Tom Brennan, Tobias Thomsen, Paul S tarke.

Glasgow boss Cami Brown has told his team to deliver three “cup final” performances and the Allied Vehicles Tigers face Redcar Bears in the Cab Direct Championship at Ashfield on Friday (7.30). 

Brown’s side need to win their remaining three fixtures against the Bears, Edinburgh and Oxford and take the aggregate bonus points to have any chance of making the play-offs. 

Brown said: “We’ve got a lot to do but, while it is mathematically possible, we have to fight for everything. We have three cup finals left so we need three huge performances and see where that takes us.”

The loss of Lee Complin and Steve Worrall were, he said, huge blows, but Brown added: “We are still in with a shout of salvaging something positive for the fans. 

“Redcar are a very good side. They’ve had their own problems but they have two great riders in Charles Wright and Danny King who both love Ashfield. That makes them a real threat.”