Scorpions get it Wright against Monarchs

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 51 EDINBURGH MONARCHS 39 (CHAMPIONSHIP)

PATCHED-UP Attis Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions moved up into the play-off places with a crunch 51-39 victory over rivals Edinburgh Monarchs at the Eddie Wright Raceway yesterday (Sunday).

It was an unusual looking Scorpions’ line up missing the injured trio of Jake Allen, Tero Aarnio and Jordan Palin, while recent signing James Wright made a fine home debut, recovering from a last place in Heat 3, to score 11 points, including three race wins, from his remaining four races.

Scorpions’ injury woes were partially balanced out when Edinburgh No 1 Sam Masters was forced to pull out of the meeting after two rides. The Australian won Heat 1, but then got into difficulties on the opening bend of Heat 5 and pulled up at the back. He subsequently withdrew from the meeting with a foot injury sustained in Poland the previous day, with the Injury Rider Replacement facility coming into operation for him.

Monarchs led 14-10 early on, but Scorpions took the lead from a 5-1 from Ryan Douglas and Zaine Kennedy in Heat 7.

Wright had already won Heat 5, and he then became the first man to defeat Monarchs’ flying Josh Pickering in Heat 9, after a great three-way battle also involving Scorpions’ lively guest Kasper Andersen.

Scorpions took a 10-point lead after a 5-1 from Douglas and skipper Simon Lambert in Heat 10.

Pickering was a busy man late on, taking three successive riders between Heat 11 and Heat 13. He came into Heat 12 as a tactical substitute, but he had to fight past Andersen and Kennedy to win an enthralling battle. With Kye Thomson at the back, Scorpions edged towards victory with a 3-3.

Scorpions clinched the three points for a league win, after a 4-2 in Heat 13. It was another great race, with the lively Andersen again giving Pickering a real battle, and then passing Lasse Fredriksen for third place, while Douglas won the race.

Wright passed both James Sarjeant and Paco Castagna early on in a shared Heat 14 to complete a fine home debut for the club. Incidentally, Sarjeant had earlier shown his displeasure for a Heat 8 penalty for catching the tapes with by directing two fingers in the direction of the referee and received some stick from the home crowd when he came back out off 15 metres in the re-run!

Edinburgh needed a 5-1 from Heat 15 to snatch a league point, and there was one last fine battle, as Pickering steamed past both Douglas and Lambert at one point, only to drift wide and the Scorpions move back past. Pickering built up his speed and charged inside Lambert on the final lap, as Scorpions finished with a 4-2, while Douglas came out on top two-one in his personal battle with fellow Aussie Pickering.

Scorpions had four riders paid for double figures: Douglas (14+2), Wright (11), Lambert (10+3) and Kennedy (10+1). Meanwhile, Pickering scored 18 points from seven rides and again provided a very entertaining visitor to the Eddie Wright Raceway.

New signing James Wright said: “It couldn’t have gone much better than that. If someone offered me 11 points before the meeting, I would have definitely taken it. I normally go quite well around Scunthorpe, and it just took one ride to get dialled into the track.

“There’s a few race lines on this track, and it needs a bit of track-craft, but that suits me, because I try to be as clever as I can with the bike most of the time.

“I made a really bad start in my first one, but once that was out of the way, it went really well. In the one where I beat Josh Pickering (Heat 9), I could hear someone was just behind me, but I knew if I placed the bike in the right position, I could hold off his attempt to pass me.

“I feel that’s the best meeting I’ve put together all year, so onwards and upwards. The only shame is that we’re now not riding again for a while.

“I did have one or two doubts about what would happen after Newcastle closed, but I was fairly confident that the phone would ring, because I’ve having a better year this year. But sometimes averages can prevent you from a getting a team place. I’m grateful for Rob (Godfrey, Scunthorpe promoter) for coming in for me and I’m happy to join the club.

“Thank you to the Scunthorpe supporters. I could hear them shouting and cheering out there and it is nice to hear and pushes us along! It’s onwards and hopefully we can make the play-offs!”

SCUNTHORPE 51: Ryan Douglas 14+2, James Wright 11, Simon Lambert 10+3, Zaine Kennedy 10+1, Kasper Andersen 6, Connor Coles 0, Jake Allen r/r.
EDINBURGH 39: Josh Pickering 18, Lasse Fredriksen 5, Kye Thomson 5, Paco Castagna 3+2, James Sarjeant 3+1, Sam Masters 3, Jacob Hook 2.

* IN the following British Youth Championship round, there was some entertaining racing, with 27 races finished well before 9pm, despite a break in proceedings after an injury to Adam Sidyk. We wish Adam well, while the class winners were: Ben Trigger (500cc), William Cairns (250cc), Cooper Rushen (125cc) and local lad Jack Franklin (125cc support).

* ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions take a near three-week break and are next in action at Poole on July 20, before entertaining Leicester at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday, July 22 (7.30pm) in a brand-new competition, the Summer Trophy.

REPORT: Rob Peasley
PHOTO BY IAN RISPIN