AIMING FOR A FINAL PLACE

NEWS Wednesday 22nd July 2009, 10:01pm

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Scotwaste Monarchs lead by two points after the first leg of the Premier Trophy semi-final, and hope to complete the job when Scunthorpe visit Armadale Stadium this Friday.

The team will certainly be making no presumption of success and with Magnus Karlsson back in the Scorpions ranks alongside David Howe, they certainly have two riders who are Armadale specialists. They have also signed Ritchie Hawkins recently and look a very solid side now. Monarchs will use rider replacement for Thomas H Jonasson who competes in the Swedish Under-21 and Swedish senior finals.

TEAMS FOR THE PREMIER TROPHY SEMI-FINAL SECOND LEG AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 24th JULY (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, rider replacement for Thomas H Jonasson, Michal Rajkowski, Matthew Wethers (captain), Andrew Tully, Aaron Summers, Byron Bekker.

SCUNTHORPE HENDERSONS INSURANCE SCORPIONS: Magnus Karlsson (captain), Viktor Bergstrom, Ritchie Hawkins, Carl Wilkinson, David Howe, Jerran Hart, Simon Lambert.

HOMECOMING SCOTTISH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP SPONSORED BY KEYLINE: That is the mouthful title of next week's big individual classic to be staged at Armadale (31st July).

The field has now been finalised and the following will try to win the fifty-seventh staging of what is the longest running championship in the UK:

MONARCHS: Ryan Fisher, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully, Thomas H Jonasson, Aaron Summers, Michal Rajkowski. GLASGOW: Shane Parker, James Grieves, William Lawson. BERWICK: Stan Burza, Paul Clews. NEWCASTLE: Derek Sneddon. WORKINGTON: Kevin Doolan, Andre Compton. GERMANY: Kevin Wolbert, Max Dilger.

OFF TO THE FOURS: Ryan Fisher, Michal Rajkowski, Andrew Tully and Matthew Wethers represent Monarchs in the Fours at Workington on Saturday with a big travelling support expected.

THOMAS H JONASSON: Thomas flew in and suffered along with the rest of the team last Friday and Saturday with the matches at Armadale and Stoke being rained off.

He would have been in the team at Birmingham next Wednesday but there is now a potential problem due to the rearranging of a rained-off Vetlanda fixture in Sweden that night.

Although it is frustrating for everyone, no definite news can be given yet about the team lineup thereafter.

POLISH NIGHT: Supporters who have bought tickets for the Polish Night will be in the club's Hospitality Lounges this Friday, celebrating the Polish World Cup win last weekend.

SOLID SCUNNY: With Magnus Karlsson back alongside David Howe, Scunthorpe track two of the best Premier League riders round Armadale and will certainly not have given up hope that they might overturn the two-point lead brilliantly gained by Monarchs in the first leg.

They would need some support of course, and recent form (if not past Armadale performances) suggests that Simon Lambert will be a very strong reserve. Both new man Ritchie Hawkins and spectacular Carl Wilkinson have done well in the past at Armadale.

The winners will face mighty King's Lynn, favourites for everything, in the final. Monarchs of course are holders of the Premier Trophy.

LAST MEETING: The Armadale meeting last Friday against Somerset Rebels was rained off early in the morning with the forecast for the day very bad. There is no restaging date yet.

NEXT MEETING: That is, of course, the Homecoming Scottish Open Championship sponsored by Keyline on Friday 31st July.

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