Brilliant Scorpions tear apart stunned leaders

ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions produced a magical six heats of speedway to start their home fixtures with a superb 55-35 victory over shell-shocked Leicester Lions at the Eddie Wright Raceway yesterday (Good Friday).

Leicester are early-season league leaders and were unbeaten this season until yesterday’s defeat.

It ended a run of 10 defeats for Scorpions against Lions, stretching across three years, including six losses during last season and it also avenged a 28-62 defeat at Beaumont Park a couple of weeks ago.

The result seemed very much in the balance in the opening races, and it was Lions who broke the deadlock in Heat 5. Scorpions then edged 22-20 ahead, before Lions moved into a 25-23 lead after the first 5-1 of the meeting in Heat 8.

Scorpions moved into another gear in Heat 9, with a 5-1 from Jordan Palin and Jake Allen, after the Australian held off a strong challenge from Kyle Howarth.

It started a run of four successive 5-1s for the home side, which included both Scunthorpe reserves defeating the previously unbeaten Nick Morris. Ryan Kinsley produced a wonderful ride to pass Morris in Heat 11, with Tero Aarnio then team-riding with him for a maximum heat win.

Former Scorpion Morris was placed into Heat 12 as a tactical substitute, but he was left somewhat stunned as both Palin and Zaine Kennedy passed him for yet another 5-1 that left Scorpions almost home-and-dry at 43-29.

Scorpions didn’t relent and Ryan Douglas and Aarnio took a 4-2 in Heat 13, after a battling ride from the Finn to steal third place from Morris on the line.

A 5-1 to Kinsley and Allen in Heat 14 meant Scorpions had outscored their opponents by 29-7 across six races.

Douglas won the final race to finish as top scorer on 14 points. His only dropped point came in Heat 1, where he had picked himself off the shale, after a first bend collision with Connor Mountain in the original attempt to stage the race.

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “It was a great all-around team effort from the boys. By the second half of the meeting, we were dialed in to the track and Leicester simply couldn’t stop us.

“It means more because it was against Leicester. If we’d have crushed another team at home, we’d still be thinking whether we are that good or whether it’s because the other team are not so strong.

“But Leicester have already proved this season that they are a powerhouse team and one of the best sides in the league, so to take them apart around here proves that we are going to take some stopping around the Eddie Wright Raceway this season.

“Ryan Douglas wasn’t feeling 100% after he was involved in a nasty spill in his opening race, but he got up, dusted himself down after being checked by the medics, and put in the performance of a No 1 rider.

“Jordan Palin had a strong meeting, while Ryan Kinsley really came alive in his third ride to beat Nick Morris. Ryan’s two wins in his last two outings will boost his confidence for the rest of the season.

“But it was a team performance. Every one of the lads was paid for at least paid seven and Leicester simply had no answer to us in the second half of the meeting.”

SCUNTHORPE 55: Ryan Douglas 14, Jordan Palin 9+1, Tero Aarnio 8+1, Zaine Kennedy 7+1, Ryan Kinsley 7, Jake Allen 5+3, Simon Lambert 5+2.
LEICESTER 35: Kyle Howarth 9+1, Nick Morris 7, Connor Mountain 6+1, Anders Rowe 5, Richie Worrall 4, Dan Thompson 3, Joe Thompson 1+1.

* ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are back in action at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (7.30pm). The visitors are Birmingham Brummies.

* IT was announced yesterday that speedway broadcaster and writer Nigel Pearson has died at the age of 52. Scunthorpe Speedway sends its heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

PHOTO by Ian Rispin