Scorpions’ Masters-Plan

FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions will bring in Edinburgh’s Sam Masters as a guest at Sheffield on Thursday night, after a rain-off at Peterborough last night (Tuesday) called for a quick change of plans.

The Scorpions’ Knockout Cup clash at Peterborough was called off after an afternoon thunderstorm left the track waterlogged.

New signing Nicolai Klindt was set to make a belated debut last night, after a previous rain-off at Berwick on Saturday. Klindt cannot ride for the Scorpions at Sheffield on Thursday, since he has received a late call-up into the Danish championships in place of the injured Kenneth Bjerre.

Rule 16.5.3 reads: ‘No facility is permitted to replace a rider, who although included in a re-declaration, has not made an appearance for that team since being re-declared.’

However, the Scorpions have the option to revert to their original 1-7, including the injured Anders Mellgren. They did this immediately after the Peterborough rain off.

Furthermore, the Scunthorpe management also submitted a revised line-up (which takes 72 hours to come into effect), with Klindt once more included as a 28-day replacement for Mellgren, before the BSPA office closed on Tuesday afternoon, which therefore will allow Klindt to make his Scorpions’ debut at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday evening (7.30pm) for the home meeting against Glasgow.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It’s all above board and legal. We had to act quickly as soon as the meeting at Peterborough was called off, so not only could we use a facility for Anders on Thursday, but also get Nicolai back in for Friday.

“Obviously had either meeting at Berwick or Peterborough taken place, then we could have used rider replacement for Nicolai at Sheffield.

“It’s a fairly unique set of circumstances. Nicolai missed two meetings he was supposed to ride in due to rain-offs, then received a call-up to the Danish championship which means he has to miss the third, which has now become the first.

“Once upon a time, we would have been forced to use a National League junior on Thursday, but that would be cheating the paying public, who want to see two full-strength sides. But there is now the option to revert to our original 1-7 and we’ve taken that.

“We’re not the first time to have done it; Poole have done it both last year and this year, and in fact, Sheffield did it themselves last weekend with Adam Roynon & Ty Proctor.  Sheffield were also left with a headache after a rain-off.”

Godfrey explained the choice of using a guest on Thursday.

He added: “When I spoke to Nicolai about him coming in, one of the reasons I told him we needed him, was because using rider replacement was hurting us. A full seven-man team is the preferred option.

“The way things have worked out we now have the opportunity to do that on both Thursday – with Sam Masters coming as a guest – and also on Friday, when Nicolai should finally be able to make his debut for us.

“Sam Masters has done a terrific job when guesting for us in the past, and I had no hesitation in booking him for Sheffield.”

FluidAir Power Scorpions’ teams for Thursday and Friday:

Thursday at Sheffield: 1. Sam Masters (guest for Anders Mellgren), 2. David Howe, 3. Josh Auty, 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jorgensen.

Friday at home vs Glasgow: 1. Josh Auty, 2. David Howe, 3. Nicolai Klindt, 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jorgensen.

* Scunthorpe’s Premier League visit to Workington’s Derwent Park has been put back from Saturday, June 7 to Sunday, August 10.