300 UP AT ARMADALE

NEWS Tuesday 8th April 2008, 6:33pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

This Friday's meeting at Armadale is the 300th since the Monarchs set up their home at the stadium in 1997.

It is quite fitting that the Scotwaste Monarchs face in the 300th meeting the Newcastle Diamonds who are the most successful visiting side to the track.

It's a big week for the Monarchs who are close to qualifying for the Premier Trophy semi-finals but who this week turn their attention to the main business of the season, the Premier League. Monarchs race at Redcar on Thursday before the Newcastle visit, and they will welcome back for these matches their young Swedish rider Thomas Jonasson who has missed the last three fixtures with a back injury.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER LEAGUE MATCH AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 11th APRIL (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, Derek Sneddon (capt.), Thomas Jonasson, William Lawson, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully, Aaron Summers.

NEWCASTLE SAPPHIRE ENGINEERING DIAMONDS: Josef Franc, rider replacement for George Stancl, Christian Henry (capt.), Ben Powell, Jason King, Jamie Robertson, Sean Stoddart.

THANKS TO WEST LOTHIAN: Monarch arrived in West Lothian in 1997 and have felt very welcome there ever since, having received strong Council support when planning permission has been renewed as well as strong fan support.

The first meeting at Armadale was on 4th April 1997 (a home defeat by Glasgow, and it was raining) but there have been relatively few defeats. During the 11+ years the Monarchs have won the Premier League (2003) and the Knockout Cup (1997, 1999).

Ironically the most successful visiting team have been Newcastle who have won 6 times at Armadale, most recently last August when Monarchs were especially unlucky.

(The 300 total does not include the Conference level meetings of the Dale Devils).

PREMIER TROPHY: Monarchs have one remaining match in the Premier Trophy, on 27th April at Glasgow. They have 9 points and a race points difference of +65.

No side can get more than 9 points and although both Workington and Glasgow can equal it, they have respective points differences of -5 and -21. (The other remaining match is Workington v Glasgow on 19th April).

We will know what we have to do when we go to Glasgow.

THOMAS JONASSON: Thomas tells us he is fit to resume and we wil be delighted to see him at Redcar on Thursday.

SPONSORS ON FRIDAY: Regular sponsors Keyline Broxburn will be sponsoring Friday's fixture.

STANCL BLOW FOR DIAMONDS: Newcastle have started the season very strongly but had a bad night at Scunthorpe last week, being beaten by a surprising margin and seeing George Stancl break his collar bone in a post-race incident.

Ex-Monarch (of last season) Stancl will be a big loss as he has started the season very well. However with other former Monarchs Christian Henry and Sean Stoddart in the side they are still well equipped to give Monarchs a tough match.

Josef Franc will be a threat and one bright spot of their Scunthorpe defeat was a brilliant 15 point score for Jason King.

LAST WEEK'S MEETING: The Scotwaste Monarchs turned in another very solid show as they beat Glasgow 57-36 at Armadale last Friday. This was their sixth win in a row, with William Lawson starring on 16. The next day they suffered their first defeat but only by 45-48 in a hard-fought match.

NEXT WEEK'S MEETING: It has yet to be decided what the Armadale fixture will be on 18th April ? it will NOT be a visit from Stoke as originally scheduled because the Potters have to race at Scunthorpe that night.