Advantage Scorpions, after victory at Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM BRUMMIES 44 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 46 (Championship Knockout Cup, quarter-final, first leg)

ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions put themselves in pole position to grab a semi-final place in the Championship Knockout Cup, after a 46-44 victory at Birmingham last night (Wednesday) in the first leg of their quarter-final tie. The second leg is at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday (7.30pm).

No 1 Ryan Douglas had suffered nasty falls on the previous two nights, but he scored a brilliant 15-point-maximum at Perry Barr, despite having to borrow a bike from Scorpions’ guest Lee Complin in Heat 5, where Douglas won a ding-dong battle with Stefan Nielsen.

In a see-saw meeting, Scorpions flew into a 18-12 lead after five races, only for Birmingham to move 33-27 ahead of Heat 10.

But Scorpions were not finished. In Heat 13, Douglas took his fourth win of the evening ahead of Nick Morris, while Michael Palm Toft passed Justin Sedgmen for third place, and the 4-2 reduced the deficit to two points.

Jake Allen dealt with a strong challenge from Nielsen on the opening lap of Heat 14, before Nielsen lost control on the fourth bend and had a coming together with Brummies’ team-mate Ty Proctor. With Nielsen excluded, Allen produced some sublime team-riding with Thompson in the re-run, to keep Proctor at bay, as Scorpions took a 5-1 and moved 43-41 ahead. The imperious Douglas then clinched victory on the night for Scunthorpe by completing his full house in Heat 15.

Speaking post-meeting, Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “We’ve set ourselves up very nicely for the second leg at Scunthorpe on Friday.

“Apart from Ryan Douglas, the rest of our lads were struggling a bit out of the starts, and it was quite slick tonight and not so easy to pass, so it made it tricky at times. We were leading, then they were leading, but then we came back at them again in the last five races.

“It was very good ride by Jake Allen in Heat 14 to shepherd home Joe Thompson and that set us up for the win on the night.

“Ryan was brilliant tonight, even when he wasn’t on his own bike, while Joe had a good meeting from No 7. Everyone scored points tonight and played their part.”

BIRMINGHAM 44: Alfie Bowtell 11+2, Nick Morris 10+2, Paco Castagna 8, Justin Sedgmen 7, Stefan Nielsen 3+1, Ty Proctor 3, James Pearson 2+1.
SCUNTHORPE 46: Ryan Douglas 15, Joe Thompson 9+1, Michael Palm Toft 8, Jake Allen 7+1, Connor Mountain 4+2, Simon Lambert 2, Lee Complin 1.