EDINBURGH Scotwaste Monarchs star William Lawson, who broke his collarbone early last month, admitted today he could be out of action for at least another fortnight.
The absence of the 21-year-old Perthshire rider comes as a blow to the Capital outfit, especially as they have found suitable guests difficult to come by. In addition to missing tonight's Premier League clash against bottom-of-the-table Mildenhall Fe
n Tigers at Armadale, Lawson will also be sidelined for Monarchs' televised home meeting with third-placed Workington Comets on Monday while he is unlikely to be fit for Monarchs' Premier Trophy Final matches against Birmingham Brummies next Wednesday and Friday.
Lawson, who has been a dominant performer round the Lothian Arena so far this season, said: "I had hoped I would be back this evening but this isn't going to happen. I was offered a shot on a quad bike this week to test my fitness but my arm had no strength. It is still quite painful and I have little movement in it. I'm not sure what is causing the pain. I would love to be back for our league trips to Workington and Glasgow in eight days time but it's too early to say if I'll be fit by then. There is no way I can get back on a bike at the moment.
"I've been out of action for a month and, at this rate of progress, it could be a fortnight before I'm back. My dad took me for a wee run in the van and asked if I wanted a shot at driving. But I had to pull in because my arm couldn't hold the steering wheel."
The heat leader ace is aware his whole season could be ended if he rushes back to the track too soon. And, with Monarchs in contention to make a clean sweep of this year's major silverware, Lawson is happy to play a waiting game.
He said: "It is frustrating not being able to ride, but if I came back too soon and suffered even a gentle knock, the doctors told me I could possibly be out for a year. It's got something to do with a nerve near the broken bone. If the bone had been broken an inch further along, I'm told the hospital could have plated it.
"I'm losing fitness and race sharpness the longer I'm off which is why it was disappointing that I wasn't able to manage the quad bike. The collar bone does seem to be healing, but it's the pain underneath my arm that's causing the problem.
"I don't know if it's the muscles or nerves. I'm gutted at missing the Sky meeting. Tai Woffinden is guesting for Workington and will be looking to score a maximum. I would have liked to have stopped him.
"I go back to the hospital every Monday and they tell me it can take up to three months before I regain full strength.
"But somewhere along the line you have to take the gamble and start racing again. Meantime, I'll just have to be patient and get on with it. Hopefully within the next two weeks I'll see light at the end of the tunnel."
Monarchs won't be too upset by Lawson's absence tonight because Mildenhall, who are in danger of going through the whole campaign without a win having lost all 20 of their league fixtures to date, are unlikely to break their duck at Armadale. Monarchs' title hopes were given a boost last weekend when leaders Somerset Rebels lost at Glasgow just 24 hours after they had been beaten at Workington.
Monarchs chief Alex Harkess said: "I wasn't that surprised they lost at Glasgow. I've not been totally convinced about how good Somerset actually are away from home. They have gone to certain tracks at the right time, but they haven't really pulled off any surprises."
With outsiders Workington and King's Lynn running out of away meetings, the pendulum has slowly begun to swing in Monarchs' favour, and Harkess says his men know exactly what they need to do to win a second championship crown in five years. "We need to remain unbeaten at home and pick up a few more away triumphs and the opposition will run out of steam," he said.
If Monarchs win at Redcar, Stoke, Newcastle and Glasgow, they will be well placed to take the title.
Harkess added: "These are all winnable fixtures because we have done well at all four venues in recent times. We are also aware that there is still some way to go yet before the title is decided."
Mildenhall have snapped up Lee Smart, who was released by Birmingham this week. He replaces Mark Wright, who has been dropped by the Fen Tigers and will join Conference League side Weymouth.
The full article contains 815 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
