In the inagugral season of the Premier National Trophy last year, Edinburgh recovered from a shaky start to reach the final but lost out narrowly to Newport with a injury-affected team. Edinburgh lost early on at home and away to Newcastle in the Northern Qualification group. They did managed to beat Berwick home and away and eventually acheived the double over Glasgow. This enabled Edinburgh to procede to the semi-finals as runners up to Newcastle. They drew Newcastle again in the semi-finals and won by one point over two legs. Edinburgh met Newport in the final. Monarchs were confident of winning after earlier knocking Newport out of the Cup and taking the aggregate match point in the Premier League matches. While a full Edinburgh side would probably have won, the depleted five man side just missed out.
The rules are slightly different this year in that there are only two qualification groups of seven teams as opposed to last year's three groups of four or five teams.
Monarchs are unlucky in that most of the fancied teams in the Premier League are in the Northern Group. They will have to get past the two favourites Workington and Sheffield as well as Newcastle, Berwick, Glasgow, and Hull to win the group. This year the top two from each group qualify as of right.
Alex Harkess feels that this could count in Monarchs' favour:
"If anything, it might be slightly easier. The top two teams go into the semi-finals. Last year it was only one; we qualified as the best placed second team, However our group is an extremely competitive one, and bonus points could be very important if few matches are won away from home."
So far this season, there appear to be a lot of away results. Workington secured a narrow win at Glasgow while Hull have won at Newcastle. In the Southern Group, there ahve been almost as many away wins as home wins. Stoke have lost at home to Swindon and Reading but have won at Swindon. The Isle of Wight have won at Reading. The bad weather may have had the effect of making tracks less predictable and eroding home advantage.
Edinburgh will finally open their Premier National Trophy campaign at Berwick on Saturday. Berwick has always been an intimidating place for visitors. Monarchs went many years without a win at Shielfield before finally breaking their duck in the Premier National Trophy this time last year. Edinburgh later secured another win in a challenge match at Berwick but went down to a big defeat in the Premier League fixture.
Berwick are expected to be particularly strong at home with a five riders capable of scoring maximums around Shielfield. David Meldrum and Alan Mogridge are a powerful combination at second string with Paul Bentley, Scott Lamb and Scott Smith at heat leader. Alex Harkess commented on their recent win over Newcastle:
"Berwick are an extemely capable side round their own track, but I'm not convinced they will be strong enough to win on the road. This was borne out when they went down heavily in the return at Newcastle."
"Meldrum has scored double figures on several occasions. It doesn't mean he will do the same against us. You never go anywhere other than to win races. And nobody in the Berwick team gives me the impression that the sie is that good. We are going there to win."
Edinburgh's first home fixture will be a week on Friday against Workington. Not only are Workington title favourites but they are certainly the best equipped team to do well at Armadale. Track specialists Carl Stonehewer, Mick Powell, and Brent Werner are joined by former Monarch Barry Campbell.