Scorpions up for the cup!

FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions take a break from Premier League action, when they travel to Peterborough tonight (Tuesday, 7.30pm) for the first leg of a first round Knockout Cup tie with the Panthers.

Peterborough have dropped down to the Premier League after 15 seasons in the Elite League, and tonight’s clash is the first competitive meeting between the two sides since 1984.

The Scorpions will be looking for either a win or to keep it as close as possible, ahead of the second leg at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday (May 26). The aggregate winners progress to take on Plymouth in the quarter-finals.

Scunthorpe will be looking to improve what is a dreadful Premier League KO Cup record. Since 1972, at second tier level, Scunthorpe have lost in the first round on 18 out of 19 occasions. The exception is 2009, when the Scorpions reached the semi-finals.

However, the Scorpions did win the KO Cup at third tier level (Conference League) in 2006 and 2007.

After rain caused the postponement of Saturday’s trip to Berwick, Dane Nicolai Klindt is now set to make his 2014 debut for the Scorpions tonight.

The former Danish World Cup star initially comes in as a 28-day replacement for the injured Anders Mellgren.

Klindt previously rode for the Scorpions in the latter part of 2013, joining the club in July and sparking an improved run of results for the team.

He comes in on an average of 6.98. Josh Auty will move to No 1 for the Scorpions, while Klindt will line up at No 3, with Ryan Douglas (pictured) shifting to No 5.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “The Premier League KO Cup has never been a happy hunting ground for us, and it would be nice to change that.

“Initially we had a bye in this round, but after Peterborough were accepted into the Premier League, we were the team drawn out of the hat to face them.

“The cup is all about winning on aggregate, but our approach isn’t going to be a lot different to a league match. We’ll go out to win it tonight, and if not, we’ll keep as close as we can, ready for the second leg at our place.”

Tonight’s meeting starts a bust week for the Scorpions, in which they are also involved in a double dose of league action.

The Scorpions travel to Sheffield on Thursday night, and then entertain 2011 champions Glasgow at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday evening (7.30pm), the first Friday evening meeting of the season at Scunthorpe.

Teams for tonight:

Peterborough Panthers: 1. Ryan Fisher, 2. Lewis Blackbird, 3. Ales Dryml, 4. Ulrich Ostergaard, 5. Lasse Bjerre, 6. Joe Jacobs, 7. Oliver Greenwood.

FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. David Howe, 3. Nicolai Klindt, 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jorgensen.