Scorpions pipped at the post

LEICESTER LIONS 56 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 34 (CHAMPIONSHIP JUBILEE LEAGUE)

ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions were edged out of the Jubilee League on race points difference, after losing 34-56 at Leicester last night (Saturday).

Scorpions fell eight points short of their target of 42 points, which would have seen them through to the final. In a tight group where all six matches ended as home victories, both Leicester and Scunthorpe finished their four group matches on seven points, ahead of Redcar on six points, with Lions progressing due to a race points difference of +20 compared to -14 for Scorpions.

Scunthorpe certainly did not give up without a fight at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena and fought over every point.

Recent Scunthorpe signing Anders Rowe snatched second place from Max Clegg – ironically the man who replaced him in the Leicester side a few weeks ago – on the line in Heat 4. A race later, in Heat 5, skipper Simon Lambert produced a fine race to pass both Richie Worrall and Connor Mountain to join guest No 1 Richard Lawson for a 5-1. That reduced Leicester’s early lead to 17-13 and, at that point, it looked possible that Scorpions may achieve their objective.

Lions hit back with a 5-1 in Heat 6, with Tero Aarnio pulling up for a second successive race, but Heat 7 saw both Lambert and James Wright overtake Joe Thompson, with Wright snatching the verdict for third in a photo-finish, as Scorpions took a fighting 3-3.

Lambert again put in maximum effort in Heat 8, but a mistake from him saw Dan Thompson and Clegg take a 5-1. Although Lawson won his tactical substitute ride in fine style in Heat 9, another 5-1 to Lions in Heat 10 saw them take a 16-point-lead.

Scorpions briefly rallied with a 4-2 from Lawson and Lambert in Heat 11, but Lions took then successive maximums to clinch their place in the final.

Scunthorpe continued to fight, with Wright posting a victory in Heat 14 and Lawson finishing his night on 16 points with a win in Heat 15. That race saw Lambert refuse to give up and he was inches away from snatching third on the line from Howarth.

Kevin Moore has been the manager for Scorpions for all four of their Jubilee League meetings, covering for Dave Peet, who is out for the rest of the season recovering from surgery to remove cancer.

Moore said: “All the riders put in the effort tonight. For some of our riders, it just didn’t happen, but it wasn’t for the want of trying. For example, Tero (Aarnio) was changing bikes and changing things but he couldn’t get anywhere. For speedway riders, that sometimes happens. James (Wright) was also changing things and in his case, it came right in Heat 14 and he won that race.

“I’d like to say a big thank you to Richard Lawson for standing in for Ryan Douglas. They are big boots to fill, and I thought Richard filled them very well and had a superb meeting for us.

“Overall, I felt we did well in this competition. We fell a bit short tonight, but I felt we had a good meeting at Redcar, and we were very close to getting the result we needed there. Leicester were the better team tonight; they are a strong team and deserved to win tonight, and we wish them the best in the final.

“I’m enjoying managing the side. The riders have been great with me and made me feel part of the team and I’m enjoying working with them. Sometimes it works for them out on track, sometimes it doesn’t – that’s just speedway.

“We’ve had problems with injuries, but you only have to look at other matches, for example the Plymouth v Birmingham match the other day, to realise that we’re not alone in that. We hope to have Jake back for our remaining league meetings, because there’s nothing like having seven of your own riders.

“We’re still right in the mix for the play-offs. I think we sent out a message to Redcar the other day. Rider replacement for Jake only scored 4+1, and we know Jake can score well there, so we’ll go back to Redcar with a degree of confidence and to Berwick as well. We’ll see what happens in other matches and we’ll know what we need to do.”

LEICESTER 56: Nick Morris 12, Kyle Howarth 11+2, Richie Worrall 10, Max Clegg 8+3, Dan Thompson 8+2, Connor Mountain 5+3, Joe Thompson 2.
SCUNTHORPE 34: Richard Lawson 16, Simon Lambert 6+1, James Wright 6+1, Anders Rowe 5, Adam Roynon 1, Tero Aarnio 0, Jake Allen r/r.

* ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are next in action when Berwick are the visitors to the Eddie Wright Raceway a week on Friday (August 19) at 7.30pm. Prior to that, Ryan Douglas and Simon Lambert are due to represent Scorpions at the Championship Pairs at the Oxford on Friday (August 12).