Weekend wins needed for Monarchs

NEWS Thursday 20th April 2023, 9:59am

by Mike Hunter

  Edinburgh Monarchs

The Stellar Monarchs complete their BSN Series qualification matches this weekend with home and away matches against Berwick, welcoming the Bandits to Armadale on Friday (7:30pm).

With Glasgow winning away at Berwick last weekend as well as taking the bonus point against Monarchs, they only need to beat Berwick at Ashfield at the end of the month to be Scottish group winners. This doesn't rule out Monarchs qualifying as well because the best-placed second team across the three sections also goes through to the semis. However most likely it would require Monarchs to win at Berwick as well as Armadale.

First things first, the Bandits come to West Lothian – and the Bandits may feel they are in with an outside chance of qualifying if they could win on Friday. Their team manager Gary Flint is calling it "a free hit" after that home defeat and prior to the league programme starting.

Bandits' top five are all more than capable of high scores around Armadale, none more so than the returning Rory Schlein, a superb young Monarch in the early 2000's and four times Scottish Open Champion.

Monarchs' boss Alex Harkess says "Berwick will be looking to prove a point after their home defeat last Saturday, but we are looking to take as much as we can out of the weekend. The target is the maximum five points. We have to win the home leg. All season home legs are very important and we have to be winning them.

"We welcome Rory once again, someone who has had his Farewell and retired and is back again! He's been very good round Armadale for years and I'm sure he will be quite happy to come back."

Monarchs travel to Berwick on Saturday (7pm) for the return match. After Friday's senior match, there will be a Northern Junior League clash between the Armadale Angels and the Berwick Academy.

FRIDAY'S MATCH:

Friday 21st April: Edinburgh Monarchs v Berwick Bandits (BSN Series), Armadale, 7:30pm

STELLAR MONARCHS: Josh Pickering (captain), Lasse Fredriksen, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Craig Cook, Kyle Bickley, Jacob Hook.

FTS BANDITS: Thomas Jorgensen, Jonas Knudsen, Leon Flint (captain), Jye Etheridge, Rory Schlein, Connor Coles, Nathan Stoneman.

Full Result Details