Edinburgh Monarchs have a unique cup record in that since League reconstruction in 1997, they have yet to be beaten on aggregate in a Premier League Cup tie.
Monarchs won the Cup in 1997 after qualifying from the Northern Qualifying group. They beat Reading in the semi-finals and Oxford in the final. In 1998, Edinburgh failed to make it through the qualification stage and arch-rivals Reading picked up the cup. In 1999, the cup reverted to a straight knock-out format. Edinburgh regained the cup after beating Newcastle, Newport, Sheffield and Arena Essex along the way. The only time Edinburgh have been beaten in knock-out competition since 1997 was in the final of the Premier National Trophy when they lost to Newport.
As it happens, Monarchs have drawn last year's finalists Arena Essex once more in the first round of the Cup this year. This will be staged this weekend with the Purfleet leg on Friday at 8.00pm and the return at Armadale on Sturday at 7.00pm.
Edinburgh should approach this tie with some confidence having won at Arena Essex just over a week ago. They will face a tougher task this week as Arena Essex have strengthened up. Savalas Clouting, who was the British Under-21 final in 1996, has joined on loan from Elite League Ipswich taking the place of Troy Pratt. Clouting opened his account at Purfleet with a four-ride full maximum against Berwick last week. Teenage sensatation Barrie Evans has also come in for David Mason as part of the package.
Should Edinburgh get through the first round, they face the winners of the Newport-Workington tie. Newport are nowhere near as strong the side that beat Edinburgh in the Premier National Trophy final last year. Workington are very strong and have already beaten Monarchs at home and away this season in the Premier National Trophy group qualifiers. However, last year Monarchs were beaten home and away by Newcastle in the same competition but recovered to overcome the Diamonds home and away in the Cup. They also beat Newcastle on aggregate in the Premier National Trophy semi-final only to lose home and away to them in the Premier League.
Workington face Newport on Saturday and Sunday. Should Edinburgh and Workington win through to the second round, as expected, Monarchs' fans will get a chance to see a dress rehearsal a week on Friday when the Comets are at Amadale on league business.
There are other first round ties being held this week. Hull face Sheffield and will be bolstered by recruiting Peter Carr as a guest in place of of the injured Garry Stead. Exeter have already beaten the Isle of Wight home and away. Swindon look set to progress on Thursday at the expense of Reading after an away win at Smallmead on Monday. Newcastle will face Stoke this weekend in the final first round tie.
Glasgow and Berwick both received byes into the second round.