PREVIEW: EDINBURGH v SCUNTHORPE + BELLE VUE (WSRA NDL)

EDINBURGH host a double header of WSRA NDL action at Armadale tonight (Friday) with an earlier start time of 7pm.

The Monarchs Academy host the Scunthorpe/Sheffield team in the opening fixture before then taking on Belle Vue, and two wins would see them climb the league table.

The Stags bring in Danny Phillips and operate rider replacement with Nathan Ablitt and Luke Harrison are on Championship duty, whilst in the second match the Colts have Sam Hagon back after missing Thursday’s win at Sheffield.

The visitors also call up Billy Budd to race at No.2 as their regular stand-in Jack Shimelt is ruled out after a crash at Owlerton.

Edinburgh boss Scott Wilson said: “The plan will be to get off to a good start against Scunthorpe, to secure a morale boosting win in the first meeting. If we can do that then we can go into the Belle Vue match full of confidence.

“Belle Vue will be a tough nut to crack however, as they track the top man in the league in Sam Hagon with his 11-point average, and a rider who will probably end up with an 11-point average, reserve William Cairns.

“We saw William’s undoubted class at Belle Vue the other week where scored an 18-point maximum.”

Colts co-boss Steve Williams said: “We’re delighted to have Sam Hagon back with us. It was frustrating to be without him at Sheffield but the circumstances were what they were, and the rest of the boys rallied together to get a fabulous result at Owlerton.

“It certainly has boosted our confidence ahead of the Edinburgh match. We have a very strong aggregate lead but we want to take all three league points if we can.

“If we can finish our last two matches strongly, we can finish the year joint second with Oxford. Edinburgh is a track we are quite fond of, and I have faith the boys can deliver.”

EDINBURGH: Connor Coles, Mason Watson, Sam McGurk, Dayle Wood, Max Perry, Mark Parker, Kyran Lyden.
SCUNTHORPE: Danny Phillips, Mickie Simpson, Stene Pijper, Ace Pijper, Luke Harrison r/r, Owen Booth, Jamie Etherington.

EDINBURGH: Connor Coles, Mason Watson, Sam McGurk, Dayle Wood, Max Perry, Mark Parker, Kyran Lyden.
BELLE VUE: Sam Hagon, Billy Budd, Matt Marson, Luke Muff r/r, Freddy Hodder, William Cairns, Harry McGurk.
SCB Referee: Jim McGregor

LIVE STREAMING: https://www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/emtv