Scorpions hang on in a thriller

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 46 LEICESTER LIONS 44 (CHAMPIONSHIP)

ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions started their Jubilee League campaign in great style by defeating Leicester Lions by 46-44 at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Friday).

Leicester are the high-flying leaders of the Championship, but this was the second time they have lost at the EWR this season.

The meeting went to a last-heat decider, but only after a dramatic finish to Heat 14, where Scorpions’ star reserve Zaine Kennedy suffered a puncture and was pipped to the race win on the line by Max Clegg.

That left Scorpions needing two points for victory in the final race. Leicester’s Richie Worrall hit the front, with Scorpions’ No 1 Ryan Douglas in the all-important second place. Kyle Howarth flew inside Douglas on the third bend of the second lap, but Douglas cut straight back in front on the fourth bend and then kept hold of the vital position.

Earlier on, it looked like Scorpions might be marching towards a larger margin of victory, after three successive heat advantages, including a 5-1 from Kennedy and skipper Simon Lambert in Heat 8 that moved them into a 29-19 lead. That race included a post-race confrontation after Connor Mountain took umbrage to Kennedy’s tactics on the final turn.

Lions placed the unbeaten Richard Lawson into Heat 9 as a tactical substitute alongside Howarth, but Kennedy took a fine second place to follow home Howarth, as Leicester were restricted to a 4-2.

A blistering opening lap from Douglas in Heat 10 saw him come through to win the race, as it was shared 3-3, and then James Wright inflicted a fine defeat on Lawson in Heat 11 to maintain Scorpions’ eight-point advantage.

But Heat 12 saw Lions take an unexpected 5-1, after Kennedy almost came to grief during the race. Douglas took his fourth successive heat win in a thrilling Heat 13, where he repassed Howarth for the lead, while Kennedy missed out in a battle for third place with Lawson. That stellar race led into the drama of the last two heats.

Douglas was brilliant as usual and scored 16 points, while a busy Kennedy took seven rides and scored 12+1. Wright had another solid home meeting for Scorpions and scored 9+1. But every point counted towards the victory, including the extra point gained when home debutant Adam Roynon passed Dan Thompson for third place in the latter stages of Heat 7.

The British Speedway Network cameras were present to capture all the action, with presenters Hayley Bromley and Paul Bowen declaring it the best meeting shown on their live stream this season.

Scunthorpe skipper Simon Lambert said: “It was good to get a win and three points on the board. We’d have liked to stop Leicester getting a point, but the most important thing was to win, while there was some good racing out there.

“I had a bit of a steady night for myself, but we win as a team and lose as a team. Zaine (Kennedy) hit some real good form at reserve tonight, which was good to see, while Dougie (Ryan Douglas) was Dougie – he’s one of the best No 1s in the league, if not the best.

“We’ve got Redcar here next week and we need to crack on and pick up another win against them.”

SCUNTHORPE 46: Ryan Douglas 16, Zaine Kennedy 12+1, James Wright 9+1, Simon Lambert 6+1, Adam Roynon 2, Kasper Andersen 1, Jake Allen r/r.
LEICESTER 44: Richie Worrall 11+1, Richard Lawson 10+1, Kyle Howarth 10, Max Clegg 7+1, Connor Mountain 3+1, Dan Thompson 3+1, Joe Thompson 0.

* ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are back in action at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (July 29) in further Jubilee League action against the Redcar Bears, when it is hoped that both Jake Allen and Tero Aarnio will return from injury.

REPORT by Rob Peasley.
PHOTO by Ian Rispin.