Monarchs hang victory hopes on 2014 title winner Worrall

Steve Worrall is confident his knowledge of the Lothian Arena will pay off

Worrall was a key member of Monarchs’ treble winning squad of 2014, his double-figure scores at reserve in the early part of that season helping to sweep Monarchs to their fourth championship crown in majestic style.

Worrall is one of three guest replacements Monarchs have recruited to cover for the absence of four of their regular team due to Speedway World Cup and German League commitments and steps in to replace skipper Sam Masters. He will don the No.1 race jacket.

And Worrall admitted: “Filling Sam’s shoes is a big task. Sam has been in tremendous form this season and not just for Edinburgh. If he doesn’t get a maximum at Armadale every Friday it’s something of a surprise, so I will have to try and do the same I suppose!”

Accepting that guest bookings can often spook some riders, especially if things go wrong, Worrall remains optimistic of repaying the faith Monarchs have put in him: “I do a fair bit of guest riding and Edinburgh is a track I like and I thoroughly enjoyed my spell with them two years ago, we all had a fantastic time.”

Sheffield are a team Worrall has recent knowledge of with his own club Newcastle elbowing the Yorkshiremen out of the Knockout Cup in very convincing fashion.

“When they came to Newcastle for the first leg we beat them pretty easily. They are a big-track side but Newcastle, like Armadale, is a far tighter circuit and you have to turn the bike a lot harder which can be difficult if you are used to racing on larger tracks. But they do have a couple of good names in their side.”

Monarchs have also brought in Peterborough’s Ulrich Ostergaard for Ryan Fisher and Scunthorpe’s Michael Palm Toft who scored 14 points for the Scorpions in their 49-40 loss at the Lothian Arena last week. He covers for Erik Riss with rider replacement operating for older brother Mark. Kevin Wolbert will captain the side.

Worrall added: “The Monarchs management always do their homework and have brought in people who are in good form and that is all you can hope for and I just hope I can pick up a good few points to help them win the meeting.”

Once Worrall completes his Monarchs booking he will be heading to Belle Vue for Saturday’s World Cup Final where the seeded Team GB face Sweden and Poland and the winner of Friday’s Race-Off in Manchester.

Said Worrall: “Although I’m not in the team Alun Rossiter, the manager, has invited me down and I’m looking forward to that just to give me a taste of what the atmosphere and experience will be like and it can only be good for me.

“I’d like to watch the Race-Off so maybe Edinburgh will have a big screen fixed up in the pits.”