Away tester for Scorpions

HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions are aiming to collect precious league points at Edinburgh’s Armadale Stadium on Friday (7.30pm).

It’s the first of two clashes between the two sides over the weekend, as they also meet at the Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway on Sunday (5.30pm).

Scorpions are looking to make amends, after the narrow 44-46 home defeat to championship favourites Glasgow Tigers last weekend.

In the meantime, three Scorpions were involved in the British Final at Belle Vue, Manchester on Monday. While Josh Auty (7), Danny Ayres (6) and Simon Lambert (1) failed to make the semi-finals, both Auty and Ayres were involved in some cracking racing.

In particular, Ayres (pictured) made a legion of new fans, both at the track and those watching on television, with a daredevil ride in Heat 19, which saw him head for the dirt on the outside of the track and shoot around three-time British Champion Chris Harris.

Wide-riding Ayres seemed to have the race in the bag, only to lose control on the final bend. Somehow, he kept on-board his machine, riding it like a bucking bronco, but he was pipped to the line by Harris.

Scorpions’ promoter Rob Godfrey says: “We’ll go to Edinburgh on Friday, and we’ll see what he can come away with.

“We suffered a heavy defeat there in the cup earlier in the season, but we were two heat leaders down for most of that evening. I’m sure we can do much better with a full side and give Edinburgh a hard match.”

HEB Scorpions’ line-up for Friday: 1. Jake Allen (captain), 2. Danny Ayres, 3. Stefan Nielsen, 4. Josh Auty, 5. Ben Barker, 6. Ryan Kinsley, 7. Simon Lambert.