PREVIEW: EDINBURGH v POOLE (CAB DIRECT CHAMP)

EDINBURGH host Poole in a big clash of Cab Direct Championship contenders at Armadale tonight (Friday).

The Pirates moved four points clear at the top of the table with their home win over Scunthorpe on Wednesday, whilst the Monarchs are currently in third place.

However the hosts’ play-off position is far from secure after they were held to a draw by Glasgow last week and missed out on the aggregate point.

Both teams have guests at reserve with Darryl Ritchings coming in for Edinburgh in place of concussion victim Jordy Loftus, whilst Edward Kennett replaces the injured Kyle Newman for Poole, who operate rider replacement for Will Cairns due to a Polish commitment.

Monarchs boss Alex Harkess said: “Poole have always set the standards throughout the last few years, they tend to be very impressive wherever they go. This year they’ve proved they are human and can have a poor result every now and then.

“We have a team that, believe it or not, if they could all just do what they are supposed to do, I think they’d be a very, very good team. But that’s three draws now that they’ve had where the other team have had to come from behind.

“As far as I’m concerned three times we’ve thrown away a lead. We’ve got to beat Poole on Friday that’s for sure, it’s as simple as that.”

Pirates co-boss Gary Havelock said: “It is a bit of a specialist track at Edinburgh, but we have riders who can get round there.

“We were close earlier in the year and I thought we should have won it but the plan will be to go out there and give it our all. Who knows what will happen.”

EDINBURGH: Dan Thompson, Jonatan Grahn, Justin Sedgmen, Paco Castagna, Kye Thomson, Mitch Cluff, Darryl Ritchings.

POOLE: Richard Lawson, Will Cairns R/R, Lewis Kerr, Cooper Rushen, Zach Cook, Slater Lightcap, Edward Kennett.

SCB Referee: Craig Ackroyd

Live Streaming: https://www.britishspeedwaynetwork.co.uk/

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