Super Scorpions clip Eagles’ wings
SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 54 EASTBOURNE EAGLES 35 (CHAMPIONSHIP)
HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions put in a solid team performance to register a 54-35 league victory over Eastbourne Eagles in an eventful encounter at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Friday).
Eastbourne skipper Eddie Kennett crashed out of the meeting in the second attempt to stage Heat 9, when he lost control trying to clamp down Stefan Nielsen. But, even before that incident, Scorpions were 30-18 ahead and heading for a routine victory.
Scorpions had a couple of injury worries themselves. Guest Steve Worrall received a cut to his leg in the first attempt to stage Heat 9, and he needed medical attention before he could take further part in the meeting.
Nielsen took a heavy fall into the fence in Heat 14 and became temporarily trapped underneath it, but he escaped simply feeling a bit shaken and second hand and is expected to ride for Scorpions at Berwick this evening (Saturday).
Jake Allen led Scorpions’ scoring with 12 points, including three race wins, but there were a further five Scunthorpe riders who scored at least paid nine, all higher than Eastbourne’s top scorer Richard Lawson, who scored eight.
Most notably, Ryan Kinsley scored 8+2 for Scorpions, for his best-ever performance at Championship level… so far!
Kinsley said: “I couldn’t hope for a better night. My old engine went on the parade last week, so for the last two weeks, I’ve had to try a new engine.
“I’ve now got it dialled into the track and it’s actually turned out to be much better than the old engine around here, because Scunthorpe is so wide that it’s small track that rides like a big track.
“I have been putting the effort in all year, but not getting the results to reflect that, but this shows the difference the right set-up can make. I know that I’ve got the talent and the speed, and I can now continue to push forward.
“I’m over the moon to get paid double figures, and I know I can walk away from this meeting with my head held high.
“We get on well as a team and it’s clicked in our home meetings. We’re all pushing each other to ride at our maximum.
“There’s plenty of the season left, and we’re still got plenty to aim for, if we can start to do what we do at home in the away meetings.”
SCUNTHORPE 54: Jake Allen 12, Josh Auty 10, Steve Worrall 10, Ryan Kinsley 8+2, Danny Ayres 7+3, Stefan Nielsen 7+2, Joe Lawlor 0
EASTBOURNE 35: Richard Lawson 8, Lewis Kerr 7+2, Kyle Newman 6, Edward Kennett 6, Alfie Bowtell 3+2, Georgie Wood 3, Ben Morley 2
* HEB Scorpions are back in action at Berwick tonight (Saturday). Their original guests, Kyle Howarth and David Wallinger, are both now unavailable, and Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey is working on finding replacements.
