Last year Monarchs entertained the Islanders needing to overturn a 28-point margin to collect an unlikely bonus point. They managed it with one heat to spare as the Islnders' big track specialists struggled around Armadale. As it happened despite Monarchs achieving their second biggest win of the season, it signalled the end of their championship bid. Stewart McDonald injured his wrist chasing Tommy Palmer and Monarchs struggled from that point on mosty using rider replacement.
This year Monarchs will have a much easier task to take the bonus point since they managed a draw on the Island a few weeks back.
The Islanders have recieved a boost with the return after injury of Armadale specialist Richard Juul. The Dane, recently released by Glasgow, as several big scores at Armadale over the years. He once guested for Monarchs replacing Robert Eriksson against Glasgow and scored well. Later in the 1997 season, he was part of the Newcastle team that secured Monarchs first home Premier League defeat.
The Islanders have Ray Morton leading their side. Morton very nearly won the Scottish Open after leading Peter Carr for a lap or so in the grand final. Morton also did well guesting for Hull in place of Garry Stead. He was actually at Armadale last week spannering for Hull's Paul Thorp.
Danny Bird was a qualifier from the Armadale staging of the British Under-21 Final and Scott Swain had a great meeting at Armadale in 1999. The Isle of Wight only recently climbed off the bottom of the table with a win over Berwick on Tuesday. However they are a better team than their league position would indicate. They have suffered badly with injuries to Danny Bird, Richard Juul, Phillipe Bergé and Tommy Palmer. Bergé was replaced by Australian Adam Shields while Juul and Bird are now back. An unnamed Conference League rider will replace Palmer at Armadale.
The teams for Friday's match are:
EDINBURGH FORTH AM MONARCHS: Robert Eriksson, Blair Scott, Peter Carr (capt.), Ross Brady, Kevin Little, Will Beveridge, Christian Henry.
ISLE OF WIGHT WIGHTLINK ISLANDERS: Ray Morton, Richard Juul, Scott Swain (capt.), Danny Bird, Adam Shields, A N Other, Glen Phillips.
A win will give Monarchs three points and put them back in touch with the league leaders.