Scorpions so close to point at Glasgow
GLASGOW TIGERS 49 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 41 (CHAMPIONSHIP)
ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions just failed to pick up a point earlier this afternoon (Sunday), after Glasgow Tigers took a 49-41 victory in a meeting full of entertaining racing at Ashfield.
Scorpions were right in proceedings and took an early 7-5 lead after a couple of races, after lively reserves Simon Lambert and Josh MacDonald took a 4-2 in Heat 2.
Tigers edged in front at 23-19, but Lambert and Theo Pijper took a 4-2 from Heat 8. Thomas Jorgensen and MacDonald held a 5-1 in Heat 9, but Sam Jensen passed them in fine style to keep Tigers just in front at 28-26.
Glasgow opened up a six-point lead with a 5-1 in heat 10, but Scorpions almost took a maximum of their own in Heat 11. Lambert and Ellis both passed Jack Thomas to move into a 5-1 position, but then Ricky Wells pipped Ellis to second place on the line after a last gasp effort.
Arguably Heat 12 was Scorpions’ downfall. In the first race after the interval, Lambert lost too much ground on a freshly watered track on the outside on the opening bends, while Connor Bailey and Jensen both picked off MacDonald, as a 5-1 to the home side opened up an eight-point lead.
Craig Cook was in great form, but Jorgensen and Ellis both led him in Heat 13, after Cook lost ground on the second bend. But Cook produced a barnstorming ride. He first passed Ellis and then, on the third bend of the final lap, he moved inside Jorgensen after the Dane lifted slightly down the back straight, while Ellis fended off Wells for third place.
Scorpions introduced Jorgensen as a tactical substitute in Heat 14, but it was Tom Brennan and Bailey who gated for Glasgow. Bailey slid off around the opening bends, but the 3-3 clinched the victory for Tigers.
Scorpions needed a heat advantage in Heat 15 to take a league point. But coming out of the second bed, Cook was in front and was gone, to complete his maximum. Scorpions finished with a 3-3, after Jorgensen won a battle with Jensen for third, but a point had just eluded them.
Lambert took three wins amongst his seven rides to top score for Scorpions on 11 points, while Jorgensen scored 10+2 from six rides and Ellis took 9+1 from five.
Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “We were a bit unfortunate not to get a point. We stuck in there the whole meeting and we didn’t let the meeting get away from us.
“But one or two of the later races didn’t go quite the way we wanted, while we were pipped a couple of times on the line and, combined, that made all the difference.
“Glasgow are a good side, especially around their own track, and yet today, we made them wait all the way to Heat 14 before they won the meeting.
“We’ll dust ourselves down and move onto Kent on Tuesday. We’ve shown battling qualities today and that we can stay in it. We need to also do that at Kent and maybe we’ll find that the meeting will come to us.”
GLASGOW 49: Craig Cook 15, Sam Jensen 9+2, Ricky Wells 8, Tom Brennan 6, Connor Bailey 6, Broc Nicol 5+1, Jack Thomas 0.
SCUNTHORPE 41: Simon Lambert 11, Thomas Jorgensen 10+2, Adam Ellis 9+1, Theo Pijper 5+1, Josh MacDonald 4+2, Kasper Andersen 2, Jordan Palin r/r.
* ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are back in action at Kent on Tuesday, before hosting league leaders Poole Pirates at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday (September 10, 7.30pm).
