Speedway: Top men Monarchs out to tame Tigers

Sep 4 2008 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

THE Scotwaste Monarchs have another vital match in their quest for honours when Scottish rivals Glasgow Tigers pay a visit to Armadale Stadium tomorrow night.

Monarchs top the Premier League table after their superb away win at Stoke last Saturday but they must beat the Tigers to maintain their momentum.

Shane Parker recently returned for Glasgow after an absence of almost four months, and the great Australian seems to be riding better than ever.

Last Friday Monarchs performed brilliantly to hammer the then league leaders Somerset by 66-24, an amazing result which must have damaged the confidence of the Rebels, who had only beaten Monarchs 48-44 on their own track two days earlier.

Monarchs were in rampant form again at Stoke the next day when the Potters were swamped by 57-36.

This win was notable for a 12-point maximum by Monarchs’ Swede Thomas Jonasson, his best return of the season.

Monarchs should welcome back their No.1 William Lawson after nine weeks out with a broken collar bone. He had a practice run last Friday and although he felt tired, there were no after effects.

So it should be a full-strength team for a run of matches which could land Monarchs their second Premier League title in five years, and even a chance of Promotion to the Elite League.

By the time Monarchs go to Newcastle in just under a fortnight they should know what they have to do, depending on Somerset’s results in the same period.

Matthew Wethers drops to reserve for September with Andrew Tully moving up into the main body of the team.

Teams for Friday:

Scotwaste Monarchs: William Lawson, Derek Sneddon (captain), Thomas H Jonasson, Andrew Tully, Ryan Fisher, Matthew Wethers, Aaron Summers.

Glasgow Tigers: Robert Ksiezak, Lee Dicken, Shane Parker, Josh Grajczonek, Trent Leverington, Mitchell Davey, Anders Andersen.