Hans Andersen and Michael Palm Toft returned to action to help The Gladiators take a deserved Championship point away at The Edinburgh Monarchs. 

In their charge for a Play-Off place, guest Leon Flint, in for the missing Ben Barker, top scored with 13 (paid 15) backed by Andersen with 11, Palm Toft with 9 and reserve Ben Morley with 8 (+1) as The Gladiators fought back from early Monarchs dominance, to force a last heat decider, with the score balanced at 43-41.

Edinburgh Monarchs = 48

1. Richard Lawson (G) - 3, 2, 2, 2, 3 = 12

2. Lasse Fredriksen - 2', 1', FX, 1' = 4+3

3. Kye Thomson - R, 3, 3, 3, 2' = 11+1

4. Paco Castagna - 1, 1, 1, 2 = 5

5. Josh Pickering - 3, 2, 3, 0 = 8

6. James Sarjeant - 3, F, 0, 0 = 3

7. Jacob Hook - 1, 1, 3, 0 = 5

Plymouth Gladiators = 42

1. Leon Flint (G) - 1, 2', 2, 3, 1', 3, 1 = 13+2

2. Tom Woolley (G) - 0, 0, 1' = 1+1

3. Ben Barker R/R - (LF - 2', HA - 3, MPT - 2, = 7+1)

4. Michael Palm Toft - 3, 1, R, 2, 3 = 9

5. Hans Andersen - 2, 3, 2, 3, 1, R = 11

6. Ben Morley - 2, R, 2, 2, 1', 1 = 8+1

7. Harry McGurk - 0, 0, FX = 0

Heat Results

Heat 01: Lawson, Fredriksen, Flint, Woolley 5-1 

Heat 02: Sarjeant, Morley, Hook, McGurk 4-2 (9-3)

Heat 03: Palm Toft, Flint, Castagna, Thomson (R) 1-5 (10-8)

Heat 04: Pickering, Andersen, Hook, Morley (R) 4-2 (14-10)

Heat 05: Thomson, Flint, Castagna, Woolley 4-2 (18-12)

Heat 06: Andersen, Lawson, Fredriksen, McGurk 3-3 (21-15)

Heat 07: Flint, Pickering, Palm Toft, Sarjeant (F) 2-4 (23-19)

Heat 08: Hook, Morley, Woolley, Fredriksen (FX) 3-3 (26-22) 

Heat 09: Thomson, Andersen, Castagna, McGurk (FX) 4-2 (30-24)

Heat 10: Andersen, Lawson, Fredriksen, Palm Toft (R) 3-3 (33-27)

Heat 11: Pickering, Morley, Flint, Sarjeant 3-3 (36-30)

Heat 12: Thomson, Palm Toft, Morley, Hook 3-3 (39-33)

Heat 13: Flint, Lawson, Andersen, Pickering 2-4 (41-37)

Heat 14: Palm Toft, Castagna, Morley, Sarjeant 2-4 (43-41)

Heat 15: Lawson, Thomson, Flint, Andersen (R) 5-1 (48-42)

Courtesy of Speedway Updates

Image credit: Jon Sproad

The Westcolour Gladiators are in Championship League action tonight at Armadale Stadium against the Edinburgh Monarchs (tapes up 7.30pm) and then make the short trip down to The Borders for a match against the Berwick Bandits tomorrow evening. 

The Westcolour Gladiators will be seeking to maintain their proud record of scoring at least 40 points in every league away match this season, as these are their final away league meetings of 2022 before the Play-offs commence.

The SWTR Centurions will race at Armadale tomorrow afternoon (tapes up 2.30pm) against the Armadale Devils, before making the trip down to Berwick where their NDL Fixture will form part of a Double Header at Berwick (tapes up from 6.30pm) with the NDL Team racing against the Berwick Bullets after the Championship fixture concludes. 

The Westcolour Gladiators hope to welcome back both Michael Palm Toft and Hans Andersen for both fixtures from their recent injuries. 

Alfie Bowtell is still not 100% fit so the Gladiators will operate the Rider Replacement facility for him. At the time of writing on Friday morning it is still unclear as to whether Ben Barker will be allowed to ride in both or either fixture as the club await news of the B-Test from the Random Drug Test taken by Barker at Oxford last Wednesday 27th July.

The delay has angered Promoter Mark Phillips who commented "It is grossly unfair on the Club and Ben, that we have been left in limbo before two vital Away Matches. 

There is no reason why the results should not be known by now and transmitted to us in time for these fixtures. The delay has meant that we are at this time neither able to confirm Ben in the Team nor source an adequate Guest Replacement and with the Championship League Table and Play-off positions being decided by these vital meetings we are aggrieved that simple processes haven't been completed"

The Westcolour Gladiators will bring in Leon Flint as a guest for the injured Edward Kennett at Edinburgh this evening, and Lewis Kerr, who was outstanding for the Gladiators as a guest on Tuesday night, has recovered from a sore shoulder to cover for Kennett at Berwick on Saturday. 

The Club will update everyone regarding Ben Barker as soon as news is available via our website and social Media.

The SWTR Centurions will welcome Kyle Bickley as guest for the injured Dan Gilkes at Armadale tomorrow afternoon and Harry McGurk will step in to the No 1 slot as guest at Berwick after the Championship Fixture tomorrow evening.

The full Gladiator teams will be confirmed here in due course given the fluid situation.

We'll have full reviews of all 4 Matches on Sunday Morning and will keep everyone informed of Team news and final scores during the weekend.

Teams:

Westcolour Gladiators at Berwick (Saturday)

Lewis Kerr (Guest for Edward Kennett)

Kasper Andersen (Guest for Alfie Bowtell)

R/R - Ben Barker

Michael Palm Toft

Hans Andersen

Ben Morley

Harry McGurk

Westcolour Gladiators at Edinburgh (Friday)

Leon Flint (Guest for Edward Kennett)

Tom Wookey (Guest for Alfie Bowtell)

R/R for Ben Barker

Michael Palm-Toft

Hans Andersen

Ben Morley

Harry McGurk

SWTR Centurions v Armadale (Saturday 6th August) 2.30pm

Kyle Bickley (Guest for Dan Gilkes)

R/R (for Ben Trigger)

Adam Extance

Sam McGurk (Guest for Adam Roynon on Championship duty with Scunthorpe)

Richard Andrews

David Abraham

Rhys Naylor

SWTR Centurions v Berwick (Saturday 6th August) @ 8.15pm

Harry McGurk (Guest for Dan Gilkes)

R/R (for Ben Trigger)

Adam Extance

Sam McGurk (Guest for Adam Roynon on Championship duty with Scunthorpe)

Richard Andrews

David Abraham

Rhys Naylor

Dan Gilkes is hoping to get sign off from his Medical Consultants to begin work back on a Speedway bike with some practice sessions in the next few weeks. We hope to have some positive news after the weekend, once Dan has spoken to his Medical Team.

Adam Roynon will miss both matches because of his commitment to Scunthorpe who have a fixture at Leicester on Saturday evening, which takes priority.

We very much thank and welcome Kyle Bickley who will Guest for us at Edinburgh on Saturday afternoon and Harry McGurk and his brother Sam, who will step in for Dan at Berwick and for Adam at both fixtures respectively. Both Harry and Sam ride for Belle Vue Colts in the NDL and we thank Belle Vue too for their cooperation. 

Image Credit: Daniel Westlake