Fuel problems ruin hopes at Berwick

FUEL PROBLEMS RUIN SCORPIONS’ CHANCES AT BERWICK
BERWICK BANDITS 47 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 43 (Cab Direct Championship)

MACHINERY problems for both Ryan Douglas and Michael Palm Toft proved costly, as Attis Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions slipped to a narrow 43-47 defeat in the Cab Direct Championship at Berwick last night (Saturday).

Douglas was in usual imperious form at Shielfield Park, and the Australian ace would have taken a 15-point-maximum, but for hitting trouble in both Heat 11 and Heat 15. He was forced to retire while leading the former race, as a 4-2 to Scorpions changed to a 4-2 to Berwick that allowed Bandits to level the scores at 33-33.

In the final race, Douglas was way in front, when his bike gave up the ghost in sight of the chequered flag. He lost the race victory to Thomas Jorgensen, but his momentum took him across the finishing line in second place.

Meanwhile, Palm Toft was suffering from a lack of power – with a change of bike not helping. He finished the night on an uncharacteristic 3+1.

Team manager Dave Peet explained: “When Ryan stopped the first time, we thought he might not have had enough fuel in the bike for that race. But when he hit further problems in Heat 15, his fuel line was spewing fuel out, so we think that was the problem in both races.

“Ryan looked completely untouchable apart from that. Had he not hit trouble, we would have won 46-44.

“On top of that, Tofty was complaining about a lack of power. After three rides, he switched to his second bike only to find it didn’t remedy the situation. Whatever it was it was affecting both bikes and we think he may have some sort of fuel problem as well. He’ll have a skid around Scunthorpe next week, when hopefully we can get to the bottom of the problem and sort it out.”

Scorpions gave debuts to both recent signings Max Clegg and Nathan Ablitt, who both came in via an enforced team reshuffle forced by the expiry of the facility on the injured Zaine Kennedy. Both looked a little rusty – Clegg was in his first competitive meeting of the season and failed to score.

Scorpions led for most of the evening. Douglas and skipper Simon Lambert took a 4-2 in the opening race and a 5-1 from the same pair in Heat 5 opened a six-point lead.

Bandits levelled at both 27-27 and 33-33, before they took the lead for the first time with a 5-1 in Heat 12.

Scorpions refused to throw in the towel. Jake Allen and reserve Connor Mountain both enjoyed a successful evening. They were beaten out of the start by Jye Etheridge and Connor Coles in Heat 14, but Allen flew around both Bandits on the second lap, while Mountain snatched third from Etheridge at the conclusion of the race as Scorpions reduced the gap to two points with a 4-2.

Douglas and Allen could have stolen victory with a 5-1 over Jorgensen and Leon Flint in Heat 15, but while Douglas hit the front (before he hit trouble at the end), Allen found himself at the back.

Peet added: “Both Max and Nathan looked a bit rusty tonight, and that didn’t help us. But there were plenty of positives to take. We never gave up and Ryan, Jake, Simon and Connor all had good evenings.

“Without the machinery problems we had tonight, we would have won. We’ve let a couple of league points slip from our grasp, even though we’re in a very healthy position to take the aggregate bonus point.

“But it is what it is, and there’s no point in dwelling on it. We just need to make sure all our gremlins are out of the system by time we race Glasgow at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday.”

BERWICK 47: Thomas Jorgensen 11+1, Leon Flint 10, Rory Schlein 9+1, Connor Coles 6+1, Jonas Knudsen 5, Jye Etheridge 4+1, Greg Blair 2+1.
SCUNTHORPE 43: Ryan Douglas 11, Jake Allen 11, Connor Mountain 9, Simon Lambert 8+1, Michael Palm Toft 3+1, Nathan Ablitt 1, Max Clegg 0.

* ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions host Glasgow Tigers in their opening home match in the Cab Direct Championship next Friday (May 12, 7.30pm).

REPORT by Rob Peasley
PHOTO: Ryan Douglas was untouchable at Berwick, except when the gremlins hit (pic: IAN RISPIN)