IN-FORM Edinburgh have vowed they won’t be taking Plymouth “lightly”.
The Stellar Monarchs are hoping that they are top of the class when they become the latest team to get their Cab Direct Championship campaign underway when the Gladiators visit Armadale tonight (Friday).
With 16-year-old reserve Max James sitting an exam they call Dayle Wood up from their National Development League Academy side while Poole’s high-flying Sam Hagon deputises for the unwell Lasse Fredriksen who has been advised not to travel.
Visitors Plymouth have yet to confirm who their number one will be. With the 28-day facility for injured Nico Covatti now spent they can only track a guest up to 75% of the Argentinian/Italian’s 7.82 average.
Jason Edwards was originally named at number one but, in an interview during Wednesday night’s live BSN broadcast from Oxford the Redcar Bears’ star revealed that he will not be back on track until next Thursday following a heavy crash at Berwick last weekend.
Edinburgh’s Paco Castagna guested for the Gladiators on Wednesday in their home loss to Workington, a meeting in which Ben Barker suffered a hand injury which forced him to decline a guest booking at Oxford on Wednesday.
They previously had an aggregate victory over the powerful Oxford side and a big home cup win against Scunthorpe, despite losing on aggregate, as they continue to defy the pre-season doubters.
Much will depend on Barker’s fitness to give support to in-form Dan Thompson and former Monarchs Jacob Hook who lines up alongside Joe Thompson in what looks to be a strong reserve pairing.
The Monarchs have come out on top in their last three meetings: a home win against Berwick and a controversial Superheat decider at Glasgow in the BSN Series and against Poole in the Knockout Cup.
Monarchs’ team manager Alex Harkess said: “We will not be taking Plymouth lightly. They have good quality reserves, probably as good as anybody in the league.
“But it is a home match for us and we have to start the league properly. If everyone contributes we will.”
Edinburgh: Josh Pickering, Sam Hagon, Kye Thomson, Paco Castagna, Justin Sedgmen, Dayle Wood, Connor Coles.
Plymouth: TBC, Alfie Bowtell, Dan Thompson, Kyle Newman, Ben Barker, Joe Thompson, Jacob Hook.
Words by George Dodds.
Images by Taylor Lanning.