Scorpions pipped in a thriller

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 44 GLASGOW TIGERS 46 (CHAMPIONSHIP)

HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions were edged out 44-46 by high-flying Glasgow Tigers in a last-heat decider at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Sunday).

Scunthorpe moved into a 9-3 lead after a couple of races, with Stefan Nielsen – on his return from injury – and Josh Auty taking a 5-1 from Heat 1, after Auty moved from fourth to second place.

Scorpions held a narrow lead – varying from two to six points – throughout most of the meeting. But Glasgow took firm control of the match with successive 5-1s in Heats 12 and 13.

Trailing by 36-42, Scorpions brought Josh Auty into Heat 14 as a tactical substitute. Both Jake Allen and Auty battled past Paul Starke to take a 5-1, which meant the deficit was reduced by two points.

Tigers’ pair of Rasmus Jensen and Craig Cook hit the front in Heat 15, while Auty and Allen started to battle with Cook for the minor placings. With Glasgow holding a 4-2, Cook tried to pass Auty coming out of the final bend of the second lap, but the gap wasn’t there and Auty came crashing down.

Cook was excluded from the re-run, and Scorpions sniffed a chance to snatch the meeting. But Jensen made the start in the re-run, and then fended off a challenge from Auty.

With the threat of a shower, all 15 races were completed in less than 75 minutes, including a brief halt prior to the re-run of Heat 15 while Auty was checked over. Rob Godfrey and his track team had pumped thousands of gallons of water off the track on Saturday to allow the meeting to go ahead.

It was Glasgow’s fourth away win in the Championship and moves them just one point behind leaders Leicester with four matches in hand. Meanwhile, Scorpions must re-group for their play-off challenge, starting with double clashes against Edinburgh next weekend.

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “Full credit to Glasgow. They are a strong team and they came and did the job.

“We weren’t quite firing on all cylinders, and you can’t afford that against a team as good as Glasgow.

“We started well, but Glasgow came into it, as they got dialled into the track.

“We nearly snatched it, after we took a 5-1 in Heat 14 with the tactical substitute, and then Cookie (Craig Cook) got excluded in the last race which made it for an exciting finish, but fair play, because Rasmus Jensen kept his head and won the re-run.”

SCUNTHORPE 44: Josh Auty 12+2, Jake Allen 11+1, Stefan Nielsen 7, Ben Barker 7, Simon Lambert 5+1, Danny Ayres 1+1, Ryan Kinsley 1.
GLASGOW 46: Rasmus Jensen 14, Claus Vissing 10+1, Craig Cook 8+1, Kyle Bickley 5+2, James Sarjeant 4+1, Paul Starke 4, Connor Bailey 1.

* HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions’ pair of Danny Ayres and Simon Lambert go for glory in the British Final at Belle Vue, Manchester tonight (7.30pm). A wildcard place in the British Grand Prix at Cardiff awaits the winner.

PHOTO: Craig Cook sends Josh Auty crashing during the first attempt to stage Heat 15 (pic: Ian Rispin).