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KEY POINTS |
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Andrew Tully will have to call on all his Armadale experience to contain Monarchs one-time signing target and highest average visitor, David Howe, who rides at No.5. |
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Monarchs will be hoping for another storming performance from young reserve Kalle Katajisto to decisively tip the result in their favour. |
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Edinburgh Monarchs v Scunthorpe Scorpions |
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Friday 28th May 2010
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Premier League |
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There's no let-up in the queue of top speedway sides visiting Armadale in search of Premier League points because this Friday its the turn of the highly entertaining Scunthorpe Scorpions to come along and try their luck (7.30).
Mind you, luck hasn't been a strong feature of the Scorpions' season so far, at least not good luck. They are currently two riders down on their starting seven due to injuries and will arrive with a six-man side operating rider replacement at No.2 and a recent new signing at No.3.
The Lincolnshire club began the season with virtually the same side as 2009, only bringing in one new rider, Joel Parsons from Sheffield. Unfortunately in only his eighth match, the Australian was involved in a serious racing accident which left him with two broken bones in his back and a three month lay-off.
Further bad luck was to follow soon after when the second of their Swedish riders, Victor Bergstrom also picked up a nasty injury when his leg was burned after being trapped against the exhaust. His recovery time will be much shorter than Joel's but the absence of these two has put pressure on the rest of the side.
At least Kalle will have someone to converse with in Finnish in the pits on Friday since Scunthorpe's new signing is Tero Aarnio who will be remembered from his spells at Berwick in the last two years which ended in a tangle with his team-mate Michal Makovsky which ruled him out with injury.
But from top to bottom there are some really keen match-ups between the Monarchs and Scorpions riders. There should be very little between the No.1's, Ryan Fisher and former Monarch Magnus Karlsson who both ride Armadale very well, but the home fans will expect their man to come out on top.
The improving Jozsef Tabaka faces rider replacement at No.2 where Joel Parsons' rides can be taken by Wilkinson, Aarnio, Hart and Lambert. Monarchs will expect to have a big advantage at No.3 where Aarnio will be up against the flying German sensation, Kevin Wolbert.
At No.4, skipper Matthew Wethers will have his work cut out against the spectacular style and never-give-up attitude of Carl Wilkinson. Andrew Tully will also have to call on all his Armadale experience to contain Monarchs one-time signing target and highest average visitor, David Howe, who rides at No.5.
Max Dilger faces the highly rated British Under-18 champion, Jerran Hart from Suffolk, who in only his third season in the sport is attached to clubs in all three leagues, Mildenhall, Scunthorpe and Lakeside. He has also had previous experience with Newport, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Ipswich.
So Monarchs will be hoping for another storming performance from young reserve Kalle Katajisto to decisively tip the result in their favour. His opposite number is Simon Lambert who has still to fulfil his early promise and whose place at No.8 for Peterborough was taken by Andrew Tully last year.
Having shown the form expected by the promotion in last week's demolition of Newcastle, Monarchs should set that result as a benchmark and use that confidence as a spur to compete for every single point. In summary, Monarchs can expect a tough test but should be expected to come out on top in this one.
Probable line-ups
Edinburgh: Ryan Fisher, Jozsef Tabaka, Kevin Wolbert, Matthew Wethers, Andrew Tully, Max Dilger, Kalle Katajisto.
Scunthorpe: Magnus Karlsson, rider replacement for Joel Parsons, Tero Aarnio, Carl Wilkinson, David Howe, Jerran Hart, Simon Lambert. |
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