TOUGH TIE FOR MONARCHS AND TIGERS

NEWS Wednesday 11th May 2011, 11:42am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

This week's matches should be amongst the highlights of the season as the Scotwaste Monarchs do battle over two days with Sheffield for a place in the next round of the Knockout Cup.

Most people would put the two teams amongst the leading sides in the league, but one of them is going out. Monarchs go to Owlerton on Thursday and the return is at Armadale on Friday night. In spite of a few injury concerns both sides should be at full strength, with old foe Shane Parker now lining up alongside the spectacular PL Pairs Champions Ricky Ashworth and Josh Auty for the Yorkshire Tigers.

TEAMS FOR THE KNOCKOUT CUP TIE AT ARMADALE ON FRIDAY 13th MAY (start time 7.30, doors open 6.30) are:

SCOTWASTE MONARCHS: Kevin Wolbert, Matthew Wethers (capt.), Andrew Tully, Kalle Katajisto, Craig Cook, Lee Dicken, Kyle Howarth.

WINDOW CENTRE TIGERS: Ricky Ashworth, Hugh Skidmore, Josh Auty, Shane Parker, Emiliano Sanchez, Simon Lambert, Ashley Birks.

INJURY SCARES: Both Edinburgh and Sheffield have had riders piling up in the past week, but all seem to be OK for the Cup ties.

Craig Cook crashed out of last Friday's home match and was feeling sore the next day when we heard of the postponement of the visit to Workington.

He will definitely ride this week as will Kalle Katajisto who crashed with Greg Hancock no less in his fourth ride in Finland's unsuccessful World Cup qualifying bid.

On the Tigers' side, Sky TV viewers saw Josh Auty crash heavily into the safety fence at Poole, which caused the abandonment of the match at heat 14. The tough youngster was soon up and will also ride this week.

PAST RECORD: We would not be so foolish as to suggest that the past is any real guide to this season's events, but as the media like to say ?History is on Monarchs' side!?.

The sides have met five times in head-to-head knockout matches, and Monarchs have won them all!

The first two in 1967 and 1981 were one-leg matches with Monarchs at home (though in '81 Sheffield were racing in a higher league!)

Since then Monarchs have been victorious over two legs in 1999, 2007 and 2009.

Monarchs have been finalists in the Knockout Cup in the last two seasons but last won it in 1999.

MEETING SPONSOR: Friday's match will be sponsored by New-Site (Ground Engineering) whose managing director is the former Glasgow rider Charlie McKinna.

They should have sponsored last year's KO Cup Final at Armadale but that match was postponed.

The company have been involved for over two years in the construction of the new Airdrie to Newbridge rail link.

STRENGTHENED SHEFFIELD: The addition of Shane Parker to the Tigers' ranks over the winter seems to have made a big difference to their side, now sporting a really formidable heat leader trio.

They have listed a slightly different team for their home match, with Parker at no. 5, but he rides at what might be called a more defensive position at Armadale, covering heat 14.

The ex-Glasgow man certainly rates Armadale as one of his favourite tracks and has virtually never done badly in over 30 visits.

Tigers are well served elsewhere with young Aussie High Skidmore going well, and experienced Emiliano Sanchez always a man to reckon with.

Simon Lambert is a very useful reserve and did well guesting for Monarchs at Armadale a few weeks ago.

LAST WEEK'S MATCH: The Scotwaste Monarchs beat Ipswich 53-40 at Armadale last Friday even though they were reduced to five riders by the end of the fixture. Andrew Tully top scored with 14 points.

NEXT WEEK'S MATCH: The Scotwaste Monarchs take on Newport, strengthened by the signing of Justin Sedgmen, in a Premier League match at Armadale on Friday 20th May.