GEORGE STANCL RETURNS

NEWS Tuesday 21st August 2007, 9:00pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs are delighted to welcome back heat leader George Stancl for their home match against Workington Comets on Friday (Armadale Stadium, 7.30pm).

Stancl was massively missed during last weekend's badly-timed matches against Glasgow, and returns the team's top five to full strength. Monarchs will still be tracking inexperienced reserves which virtually ensures a close match against the Comets, whose own greatest strength lies in their international heat leader trio of Ostergaard (Denmark), Wright (England) and Nieminen (Finland).

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 24th AUGUST (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

EDINBURGH SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: George Stancl, Derek Sneddon (capt.), Kaj Laukkanen, Andrew Tully, Matthew Wethers, Kalle Katajisto, Sam Martin.

WORKINGTON COMETS: Ulrich Ostergaard, Mattia Carpanese, James Wright, Craig Branney, Kauko Nieminen, Charles Wright, John Branney.

GEORGE FEELING OK: George Stancl reported considerable improvement in his ankle injury by the start of the week.

He said ?I will be back this week. I will be on the physio early in the week, then I will ride at Sheffield on Thursday in the Garry Stead meeting. It was a great pity that I missed the Glasgow matches but I will race against them in the Scottish Cup later in the season.

?I am in the workshop getting my bikes ready and I am sure I will be all right.?

RESERVE MARTIN: Standing in for the injured Daniele Tessari this week will be Berwick's Australian youngster Sam Martin.

There are not many riders to choose from but Sam is a young man who has won considerable praise for his style and effort.

ADDITIONAL FIXTURE: Assuming there are no postponements prior to Friday 7th September, that Friday will now be filled by a match between the current Scotland squad and an Australian select side.

Rider sponsorship packages will be available at £100 each, for which the sponsor will receive admission and programmes for two, have their photo taken with the teams and receive the race jacket of the rider they sponsor.

Remaining home league fixtures are:

31/8 v Sheffield

14/9 v Rye House

21/9 v Somerset

SPONSORS ON FRIDAY: James Banks Joinery will be meeting sponsors at Armadale on Friday. They will be in the George Hunter Memorial Lounge with a party from Buildbase in the Champions' Lounge.

COMETS AT FULL STRENGTH: Like Edinburgh, Workington have often suffered from severe injury problems in recent seasons, and this season has been no exception. They recently faced a home match against the Isle of Wight with a decimated side.

However this week they find themselves at full strength for their visit to Armadale. Former Birmingham and Peterborough rider Ulrich Ostergaard was signed recently to replace Carl Stonehewer, injured during the Scottish Open, and alongside James Wright and Kauko Nieminen that gave them a powerful heat leader trio.

Wright is in his fourth season with the Comets and (at 21) rated one of England's top prospects while Nieminen has returned to their side this season a more complete rider after a year at Glasgow.

Italian Mattia Carpanese (his country's no. 1) and Craig Branney should be a useful pair of second strings, and Charles Wright has had a successful debut season in the reserve berth.

LAST WEEK'S MEETING: Monarchs raced without George Stancl and Daniele Tessari against Glasgow and went down 41-49 to Glasgow. Kaj Laukkanen and Matthew Wethers top scored with 13 each.

NEXT WEEK'S MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs race Sheffield, the team they knocked out of the Cup back in May, in a Premier League match at Armadale on Friday 31st August.

Full Result Details