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Ready To Go!

PREVIEW Friday 7th May 2021, 12:30pm

by Graham Muncie

Team action is back at the Dale!!!!

After a long wait whether you class it as 18 months or so since the last Monarchs home match or 15 and a half years since the last Devils match either way we are back!

What a way to start as well with a strong challenge from the newly formed Berwick Bullets in what will be the National League derby for the Devils.

Of course, both teams have already done battle with the Bullets coming out on top 50-40 at Shielfield last Saturday night on a night where both will have taken many positives they will look to build on.

So, revenge is the name of the game for the Stellar Devils on Friday night as they look to build on what was an encouraging performance in the Borders last week.

It looked early like the Bullets were going to run rampant taking heat advantages in each of the first 4 heats before the Devils steadied the ship and while the points are awarded for performance over 15 heats not 11 the scores were tied the rest of the way and positives can be taken from this.

Nathan Greaves led from the with a double-digit score that could have been better but for a fall while leading and the Devils will look for this to continue at home, as number 1 and captain a heat 1 win can go a long way to settle nerves and put the team on the right track.

Back-up for Greaves will come from heat leader colleagues Danny Phillips and Tom Woolley, both had heat wins at Berwick and having had a spin at a practice session at Armadale last week will be ready to go.

The rest of the Devils team maybe do not match up to the top 3 in experience, but they sure make up for that in youthful exuberance and a will to take advantage of this opportunity given.

The one downbeat moment of last Saturday was the heat 2 spill and subsequent withdrawal of Gregor Millar from the meeting, Gregor was seen hopping round the pits for the rest of the evening, but the good news is he is fit and raring to go this week.

Gregor's brother Lewis can take heart from a battling performance last week improving as the night went on while Sheldon Davies will feel the better for getting the laps under his belt and the first action of the season out of the way.

Star of the show last week was undoubtedly George Rothery on a busy night paid 13 from 7 rides (including a fall while on a paid 2nd also) was the reward for the 22-year-old Cumbrian and even a score of half that could go a long way to helping his men to victory tonight.

That task will not be easy though as the Bullets boast one of the strongest looking septets in the division, they will be led from the front by Championship team members also Leon Flint and Kyle Bickley both looking to use confidence boosting big scores in the NDL to translate to Championship success.

Backing up the young Team GB members will be comeback man Greg Blair; Blair is the elder statesman of the team but after a few years away is looking to make up for lost time and if his performance last week is anything to go by, he will make a mockery of his starting average.

Ben Rathbone and Ryan MacDonald form the engine room of the Bullets line-up with the latter in particular having a wealth of Armadale experience to his name in fact he may actually have competed the most laps of Armadale of the 14 riders on show.

The aim of both the Devils and Bullets teams is to give opportunity to local youngsters looking to make their way in the sport and this couldn't be clearer than at reserve for the Bullets as Melrose man Kieran Douglas and Berwick born Mason Watson fill the spots, both will be delighted with their debuts last week recording 6 points each and progression like that is what the National Development League is all about.

So, a tough looking fixture in store as the Devils take to the Armadale shale for the first time since October 2005, that night saw the first leg of Conference Trophy glory and who knows if tonight will be the start of more glory to come.

Sadly of course we are still at the behest of COVID guidelines so the match is behind closed doors, but you can catch all the action on the live stream available to purchase through the link on this website or on all Devils and Monarchs social media.

So, sit back enjoy and remind yourself that Friday night is speedway night!