Scorpions chase cup glory
FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions will travel to Peterborough tonight (Tuesday, 7.30pm) for the second attempt to stage the first leg of their first round Knockout Cup tie with the Panthers.
The meeting was called off at the East Of England Showground last Tuesday at teatime after a thunderstorm, but quickly re-arranged after agreement between the two clubs. Both sides will be hoping for better luck tonight.
Peterborough Panthers have dropped down to the Premier League after a 15 season spell in the Elite League that twice saw them crowned champions (1999 and 2006). Tonight’s clash is the first competitive meeting between the two clubs since 1984, when both sides were competing in the old National League (the then second tier).
New Scorpions’ signing Nicolai Klindt had a recent spell in 2013 at Peterborough, while David Howe spent the first five years of his career with the Panthers, winning league titles at three different levels.
The Scorpions will be looking for either a win tonight 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, with a reserved date of Friday, June 6 for the Scunthorpe leg of the quarter-final.
Scunthorpe will be looking to improve on their 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, successes that current Scorpion Josh Auty was part of.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It’s about time we had a bit of success in this competition. Peterborough are a welcome addition to the Premier League. They will be worthy opponents, but of course we want to overcome them and progress.
“In fact, I’d like to go all the way in this competition and reach the cup final.
“But we have to take one step at a time, and that starts tonight at Peterborough. I’d like to win the meeting – if not, we have to keep it as close as possible, ready for the second leg at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Monday.”
The Scorpions also have another away match this week, a Premier League match at Plymouth on Friday.
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. Nicolai Klindt, 3. David Howe, 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jorgensen.
