Motorsport: Newcastle return will prove stiff test

Oct 8 2009 by Eric MacKinnon, West Lothian Courier

THE Monarchs have big matches every week for the rest of October, and this Friday they race Newcastle in the second leg of the Premier Playoff semi-final.

Monarchs need to make up nine points after losing the first leg on Tyneside by 50-41 last Sunday. That was a pretty good performance by the Armadale side, pulling back from a 12-point deficit at heat 8 with Kevin Wolbert outstanding.

The German scored 16 points and recorded the night’s two fastest times in his last two races.

However Newcastle are not to be taken lightly. Their top Danes Kenni Larsen and Rene Bach are backed by team captain Jason King and experienced Aussie Mark Lemon, with ex-Monarchs captain Derek Sneddon also lurking.

Monarchs will need to be at their best to make the final, which will be against either King’s Lynn or Birmingham.

The eventual winners of the play-offs, which Monarchs won last year, will face Elite League cellar club Belle Vue Manchester for a place in the 2010 Elite League.

Teams for Friday:

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

Newcastle Diamonds: Kenni Larsen, Derek Sneddon, Jason King (captain), Rene Bach, Mark Lemon, Adam McKinna, Trent Leverington.

Last Wednesday, Monarchs went down 58-38 at King’s Lynn in the second leg of the Premier Trophy Final which meant that King’s Lynn added the Trophy to the Premier League already won.

In a great week for the Norfolk team their 17-year-old prodigy Darcy Ward won the World under-21 Final at Gorican, Croatia last Saturday.