SCORPIONS START LEAGUE CAMPAIGN IN WINNING STYLE
REDCAR BEARS 44 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 46 (Cab Direct Championship)
ELLIE ROSE Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions commenced their Cab Direct Championship league fixtures with a fine 46-44 away victory at Redcar last night (Friday).
Scorpions had suffered two heavy away defeats the previous weekend, but came bouncing back in style, taking charge at Redcar from the off, and building up a ten-point lead after nine races. Redcar were strong in the closing stages, but Michael Palm Toft clinched victory for the visitors with a no-nonsense tapes-to-flag victory in Heat 14.
Connor Mountain and Kyle Howarth got Scorpions off to a perfect start with a 5-1 in Heat 1, after Howarth won an early battle with home skipper Charles Wright.
Ashton Boughen proved the perfect guest for Scorpions in place of the injured Nathan Ablitt, scoring 8+2, and Boughen commenced his evening with a charge around the outside from third to first in Heat 2.
Palm Toft passed Jason Edwards to win Heat 3, while Howarth and Mountain took a second 5-1 in Heat 5 to extend Scorpions’ lead to six points.
Wright came into Heat 7 as a tactical substitute, but Palm Toft spilt a strong Redcar pair, by following home Bears’ guest Erik Riss but beating Wright.
Mountain and Boughen had no problem in taking a 5-1 in Heat 8, and Scorpions’ lead was stretched to ten when Jake Allen and Luke Harrison took a 4-2 from Heat 9, with Harrison taking advantage of a fall for Connor Bailey.
Three shared heats followed, before Wright and Riss closed the gap to six points in Heat 13. But Palm Toft was not going to be denied in Heat 14, with Boughen doing much to occupy the Redcar pair and just missing out in a photo finish for third place to Edwards.
Redcar made the scoreline more respectable with another 5-1 to Riss and Wright in Heat 15, with Riss completing a paid maximum.
Team manager David Howe said: “I’m really happy with the performance from the boys. It was a solid performance and every point counted towards our victory.
“We had a disappointing weekend last week, but we don’t suddenly turn into a bad side because of a couple of away defeats. Last weekend may actually be just what we needed – it was a reminder how we need to knuckle down to get results. We’ve had a run of five away meetings on the bounce, which isn’t easy, and it will be good to return to the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday, when we face Workington.
“The points at the start of a meeting count equally as those at the end, and we took control with the 5-1 from Connor (Mountain) and Kyle (Howarth) over Charles Wright in Heat 1 tonight. A result like that picks up everyone in the camp. Kyle has been working hard and he looked sharper tonight.
“All the boys gave their all tonight, while Ashton Boughen came in and was a really good guest and we appreciate his efforts.
“We knew the Redcar were strong in Heats 13 and 15 but we planned for that and made sure we built up and then kept the lead before that. Tofty (Michael Palm Toft) had a really strong evening and he produced the race win we needed to clinch the meeting in Heat 14.
“Of course, it’s fantastic to start our Cab Direct Championship fixtures with an away win, but I feel there’s still much more to come from us. I don’t believe we’re yet riding at our full potential. We will be stronger in August, certainly Luke (Harrison) will be, because he’s doing great at the moment, but he’s learning all the time.”
REDCAR 44: Charles Wright 14, Erik Riss 13+2, Jason Edwards 6+1, Connor Bailey 4+1, Jake Mulford 3+1, Ben Trigger 3, Jonas Knudsen 1.
SCUNTHORPE 46: Michael Palm Toft 10, Connor Mountain 9+2, Kyle Howarth 9+1, Ashton Boughen 8+2, Jake Allen 7, Simon Lambert 2+2, Luke Harrison 1.
* AFTER a four week gap in home fixtures, Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions return to Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (May 10) at 7.30pm, with the visit of Workington Comets in a decisive BSN Series clash.
Report by Rob Peasley
PHOTO: Michael Palm Toft clinched victor for Scorpions in Heat 14 (pic: Ian Rispin)
