Lambert to the max, as Scorpions return to form

LAMBERT TO THE MAX, AS SCORPIONS BACK ON FORM
SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 54 OXFORD CHEETAHS 36 (CHAMPIONSHIP)

SKIPPER Simon Lambert scored his first-ever full maximum at Championship level, as Attis Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions returned to form with a 54-36 victory over returning Oxford Cheetahs at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Friday), a win that saw them move up to sixth place in the league.

The Boston-born 33-year-old Lambert made his debut in second tier racing in 2005, and has had to wait 17 years to score an official full maximum at this level, although he had previously scored nine paid maximums, the last of which came while racing for Sheffield in 2011.

As a contest, the meeting was over the moment that Scorpions swept into a 14-4 lead after three races, as they made amends, after losing their previous home meeting to Plymouth and also put an end to a run of three successive defeats.

It was a night of some of fine racing at the Eddie Wright Raceway, with Heat 8 and Heat 15 as particular highlights. The former saw Oxford’s Nathan Stoneman burst from third to first in the early stages, but a determined Lambert pushed under him on the third lap, and then Jordan Palin pounced on the final lap to take a 5-1 that brought the house down.

Heat 15 saw Zaine Kennedy involved in a thrilling battle with Oxford top guns Scott Nicholls and guest Chris ‘Bomber’ Harris. Just when it appeared the experienced pair had got the better of him, he forced a route under Nicholls, a seven-time British Champion, in ruthless fashion on the final bend.

It was a night of so many positives for Scorpions. Kennedy, Palin, Jake Allen and Ryan Kinsley all had confidence boosting nights after recent difficult meetings. Allen was only beaten when he thought he’d seen a red light and momentarily stopped in Heat 9, while Kinsley gave Harris a real battle in Heat 13, another exciting race where Tero Aarnio passed Bomber on the final lap.

Kinsley was given the ride in Heat 13, due to Ryan Douglas being withdrawn from the meeting. The Australian scored eight points out of nine, but he was still feeling the effects of whiplash injuries from a heavy fall in Poland last weekend and therefore protected from taking his final outing, since victory on the night was already in the bag.

But, if the night belonged to one man, it belonged to skipper Lambert, a rider who by his own admission, had been struggling this season.

In Heat 4, he made a quick start and scored a notable victory over Harris, a race that concluded in a last-lap fall for Aarnio after Harris came steaming through on the final lap – it was perhaps 50/50 as to whether Harris could have gained an exclusion for causing the Finn to fall.

But Lambert certainly didn’t do it all from the gate. As well having to overhaul Stoneman in Heat 8, he also had to fight his way through in Heat 12. Oxford’s Jack Thomas led that one for three-and-a-half laps, before Lambert roared around him on the back straight of the final lap, much to the delight of the Scunny faithful.

Lambert was given one additional ride in Heat 14. He was briefly third, but soon steamed through on the inside to complete his full house.

Speaking post-meeting, maximum man Simon Lambert said: “The night couldn’t have gone much better, although I could have made five perfect starts and made things a bit easier for myself! It has been years since I got a maximum in this league, so I am delighted.

“Tonight I made some decent starts in some races, as well as having to earn quite a few of my points from the back. It’s given me a bit of self-belief and confidence and given me a bit of fresh air. People think speedway is simple and easy – but it’s far from it and tonight has given me a real boost.

“I’ve had a few problems with my bike, but I’ve got them sorted. Some of my performances earlier this season were terrible, such as at Plymouth and Leicester. I had better one here last time, a better one at Birmingham, and then tonight came along.

“I have to say a big thank you to Liam, my mechanic. When it’s tough on me, it’s also tough on him. He’s stuck at it with me. We’re always trying to better ourselves.

“Personally, I felt I had my best-ever year last year. I did not want to end up at reserve this year, but I’ve ended up down there. But tonight I beat Chris Harris in Heat 4, I think he’s been riding every day of the week recently, so he’s so dialed in. But I’ve gone and beaten him and set the fastest night of the night in doing so.

“We performed from one-to-seven tonight. Jordan has been struggling, Ryan (Kinsley) has been struggling, but tonight they showed what they can do. Dougie (Ryan Douglas) is still feeling the effects of his crash in Poland, but the rest of the team came through. It was a solid performance and our morale and belief is back.

“This month is a big month. We’ve still got two home meetings to go, and one away at Leicester, since we’re home and away to them in the cup. At the end of the day, we want silverware this season. Rob, Gail and Dave put a lot of effort into running this team, and we need to make it happen for them, and us boys want it, and we also need to reward our great fans for their support.”

SCUNTHORPE 54: Simon Lambert 15, Jake Allen 8+1, Ryan Douglas 8, Zaine Kennedy 7+1, Jordan Palin 6+3, Tero Aarnio 6+1, Ryan Kinsley 4+1.
OXFORD 36: Chris Harris 12, Scott Nicholls 11+1, Jack Thomas 5, Cameron Heeps 3+1, Nathan Stoneman 2+1, Kyle Newman 2, Dillon Ruml 1.

* ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are next in action next Friday (May 20), when Newcastle Diamonds visit the Eddie Wright Raceway.