Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers

The Scowaste Monarchs didn’t really have to break sweat to pick up all three points against Glasgow.

The Tigers won twice last season in West Lothian but this is a much different side from the one which sported Nick Morris, Theo Pijper, Michal Rajkowski and Christian Henry. The contribution in this match from their bottom four was minimal.

Monarchs gated well for most of the match, though not in heat 1 in which Joe Screen was first to the corner. However Andrew Tully got his exit from the second bend just right and flew to the front with a perfectly judged inside pass. Derek Sneddon was comfortably third.

Robert Ksiezak was away well in heat 2 but Charles Wright was in front by the time Robert stopped before the end of the first lap. Thereafter it was a cruise to a 5-1.

Theo Pijper and Matthew Wethers led heat 3 from the gate but James Grieves compensated for a poor start by coming right through the middle of the home pair off the pits corner. He never looked back and partner O’Malley managed to clear the track after falling.

Craig Cook was a comfortable winner in heat 4, another home 4-2 with Wright third, but Joe Screen took Tigers’ second race win in heat 5. Matthew Wethers was alongside him for the first lap but was taken wide on the pits corner, and in the latter stages it was Pijper who moved through and gained some ground.

The Monarchs’ pair led heat 6, won by Tully, but Grajczonek managed to get past Sneddon for second spot.

It was time for a TR, James Grieves in heat 7, but there was no mistake from Craig Cook. With O’Malley well back it was a 4-4.

No Tiger heat leaders in heat 8, and consequently a stroll to a 5-1 for Sneddon and Wright. Derek made a lightning gate.

Theo Pijper hadn’t been quite at his best in his first two rides but he was away for a good win in heat 9. Matthew Wethers tried to get to grips with Grajczonek but had to settle for third.

Easy win for Tully in heat 10, but the race was for second as Grieves passed Sneddon, then Derek came back again round the outside. Finally Grieves did the same in return and secured second spot in a good race.

It was time for the second TR in heat 11 but Cook easily beat Screen. The race this time was between Dyer, keeping a wide line, and Campton who was trying to come inside him, and finally did with a good cutback. The first and only point won by the Tigers’ bottom four.

Heat 12 was a good one. It looked as though Theo Pijper would win but Grieves put him under pressure and finally passed in style round the outside.

Once again a powerful gate by Craig Cook took him clear in heat 13, while Andrew Tully fought hard to stop Joe Screen coming round him. Eventually he pulled away.

Heat 14 was another easy 5-1 for Wethers and Dyer against O’Malley and the disappointing Ksiezak, and we finished with another great display from Cook and Tully to demolish Grieves and Screen in the final race.

Edinburgh Monarchs v Glasgow Tigers

After confounding their critics and hitting the heights in a cracker of a match last week, the Scotwaste Monarchs will go into the latest Scottish derby match against Glasgow Tigers at Armadale on Friday (7.30) with a lot more confidence.

Andrew Tully looked much more like his old self in piling up a big score but his opposite number Joe Screen has been doing the very same for the Tigers. His vast speedway experience will also make it very difficult for Andrew to pass if Joe gets a head start, so this is a very important match-up.

Derek Sneddon was another who upped his game last Friday and was tremendous to watch when in full flow. This week he faces a relative speedway novice, Mason Campton, who has already been turning heads in his brief UK career and looks capable of going very much further in the sport.

Former Monarchs skipper, Theo Pijper, looks to be enjoying his speedway more than ever although Glasgow's grittiest performer, the never-say-die James Grieves, will be looking to wipe the smile off Theo's face. The two were team-mates last season but that will count for nothing when the tapes go up.

The current Monarchs skipper, Matthew Wethers was back in the points last week and he will be hoping for more of the same this week when he lines up opposite the second young Australian Glasgow have taken a chance on, Jayden O'Malley, who is taking a bit longer to find his feet.

Craig Cook is a revalation this season, riding like a demon. And he will have to do just that again against the rider with the challenging surname for those who like to keep a neat scorecard, Josh Grajczonek. The Australian is a silky rider who looks set to hit the heights once again after injury.

Micky Dyer will be hoping to set the team on its way with another Heat 2 win. This week he faces the battling New Zealander who was formerly a Berwick Bandits favourite, Jade Mudgway, whose style may be more suited to the bigger tracks but who will give his all on any circuit.

Finally, Charles Wright made a great start to his time as a Monarch but seems to suffer from trying too hard at times. Let's hope he can have some good luck rather than bad this week as he lines up against Glasgow's fifth rider from the other side of the world, the popular Robert Ksiezak.

Last week's perfect track conditions allowed for plenty of passing by the most determined riders on both sides, but the weather won't allow for that every week and the Monarchs still seem to have a collective problem getting to the first corner in front a lot of the time.

If they can sharpen up their gating and not throw away silly points, another annoying trait, Monarchs showed that they can beat anyone on their home shale. But as we saw with Redcar, give a visiting side a sniff of victory and you can quickly be fighting an uphill battle.

Now that both sides have shaken off the early season cobwebs, this could be another cracker of a match. Neither side has realistic chances of progressing in the League Cup but that won't get in the way of another rip-roaring battle for bragging rights north of the border. Support your local speedway!

Likely line-ups:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Andrew Tully, Derek Sneddon, Theo Pijper, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Craig Cook, Micky Dyer, Charles Wright.

GLASGOW TIGERS: Joe Screen (capt.), Mason Campton, James Grieves, Jayden O’Malley, Josh Grajczonek, Jade Mudgway, Robert Ksiezak.