Monarchs to take on Sheffield Tigers

Aug 6 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

Monarchs to take on Sheffield Tigers

WEST LOTHIAN-based Scotwaste Monarchs face a very busy few weeks starting with the visit of Sheffield Tigers to Armadale Stadium tomorrow (Friday at 7.30pm).

The weather at the end of July has caused a lot of problems and the Monarchs now face the headache of trying to squeeze 17 matches (8 home, 9 away) into the next six weeks before the cut off date for completion.

Sheffield are a team showing much improved form since the early weeks of the season when Monarchs beat them in both Premier Trophy and KO Cup matches at Armadale.

They have a new Australian signing in Hugh Skidmore who has done well, and who drops to reserve for the month of August.

If he adapts to the West Lothian circuit he could be a danger.

The Tigers also bring exciting Josh Auty and their No.1 Ricky Ashworth who is one of the most spectacular riders in the division.

Monarchs’ new German Max Dilger has still to make his debut in this country, as there were postponements last week for the team’s visit to Birmingham and also to the big Scottish Open Championship meeting at Armadale last Friday.

There is also a fitness worry over Andrew Tully who crashed heavily in an individual meeting at Wolverhampton on Monday.

The latter was a major blow to the club for whom the meeting is vital financially, as well as one of the highlights of the year’s action.

Rain started during the afternoon, eased off and then returned with a vengeance. The Scottish Open will be re-staged towards the end of the season.

As well as the Sheffield visit this week, Monarchs travel to Berwick (Saturday) and Glasgow (Sunday) in Premier League matches.

Teams for Friday:

Scotwaste Monarchs: Ryan Fisher, Michal Rajkowski, Max Dilger, Matthew Wethers (captain), Andrew Tully, Aaron Summers, Byron Bekker.

Sheffield Window Centre Tigers: Ricky Ashworth (captain), Chris Mills, Joel Parsons, Richard Hall, Josh Auty, Hugh Skidmore, Paul Cooper.