Big Match Preview: Scunthorpe v Poole
ATTIS INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions face a season-defining weekend, starting with the visit of reigning champions Poole Pirates in a Cab Direct Championship play-off match at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (Friday, 7.30pm) – easily the biggest meeting of the season so far at the North Lincolnshire venue.
Scunthorpe are involved in two meetings in 24 hours, since they then travel to Edinburgh’s Armadale Stadium tomorrow night (Saturday). Victory in both meetings would clinch a place in the play-off final for Scorpions.
Scorpions shocked Poole by holding Pirates to a 45-45 draw on the South Coast 11 days ago. Although Pirates won the concluding Superheat by 6-3, it was a result that left Scunthorpe in control of their play-off group, especially when Scorpions followed up that superb performance with a resounding 59-31 home victory over the Edinburgh Monarchs at the EWR last Sunday.
The same scoring system applies in as regular matches, with two points for a win, one point for an aggregate victory, and Superheats to decide ties. Scorpions are currently top of their group on three points. Two wins this weekend – by whatever margin – would take them onto an unassailable nine points as both aggregate bonus points would also follow.
Both Scunthorpe and Poole are due to be at full strength for the clash at the Eddie Wright Raceway, and Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey is expecting a classic encounter.
Godfrey said: “Tonight’s meeting with the Poole Pirates is huge. They’ve been champions for the last two years, but since the two teams finished 45-45 at Poole, whoever wins tonight collects all three points and would become favourites to reach the final.
“It will be our biggest meeting of the season to this point, and I’m hoping our supporters will turn out in force and get right behind the boys.
“We know what we have to do and that’s get a win. It doesn’t matter by how many points, just as long as we score one point more than Poole at the end of the 15 heats, then our destiny will be in our own hands when we travel up to Edinburgh tomorrow night for our last match in the group.
“I’ve played the meeting out in my head and it is going to be tight, no question about it. I’ve played it out that we are going to win, because I don’t want to be thinking about the other possibility!
“It’s going to have to be a whole team effort again with every point counting. We benefitted from a great team effort down at Poole, which was phenomenal and really great to see, so I want to see that again although we do need a bit of luck and nothing to go wrong, as everyone does.
“The other thing, of course, is that tomorrow’s meeting up at Edinburgh is every bit as vital as this one tonight. We could win tonight, but then end up with egg on our face if we go to Edinburgh and lose. We won’t lose focus if we win tonight – there’s a job to be done in both meetings and we won’t take Edinburgh lightly.”
Accompanied children aged 16 and under will be admitted free all season to speedway meetings at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
For those who cannot make it to the Eddie Wright Raceway, the British Speedway Network (BSN) are live streaming the meeting for just £11.99 at: https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk/
ADMISSION PRICES FOR TONIGHT (FRIDAY):
Adult: £20.00
Student/OAP: £18.00
Child (0 – 16): Free (must be accompanied by paying adult)
Programme: £1.00
Car Parking now free
Pay on the day at the turnstiles by cash or card.
Expected teams for tonight (Friday):
Attis Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Ryan Douglas, 2. Connor Mountain, 3. Simon Lambert (captain), 4. Jake Allen, 5. Michael Palm Toft, 6. Drew Kemp, 7. Nathan Ablitt.
Poole Pirates: 1. Richard Lawson, 2. Anders Rowe, 3. Ben Cook, 4. Zach Cook, 5. Steve Worrall, 6. Kyle Newman, 7. Joe Thompson.
