Opening salvo for Scorpions sinks champions
OPENING SALVO FOR SCORPIONS SINKS THE CHAMPIONS
SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 55 GLASGOW TIGERS 35 (CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP)
ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions picked up a comfortable 55-35 victory over reigning champions Glasgow Tigers at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Friday), to move themselves level on points with Oxford at the top of the Cab Direct Championship.
Danish star Michael Palm Toft had a fabulous first meeting back from a collarbone injury, dropping a single point in a 10+1 display, while Glasgow were hit by the late withdrawal of Steve Worrall, who was missing through illness and used rider replacement in his absence.
Scorpions were in irresistible form in the opening stages, slamming in four 5-1 maximum heat wins between Heats 2 and 6, as they built up an early 25-11 lead, which put them in complete control of the meeting.
There was some fine racing on display as usual at the Eddie Wright Raceway, none more so than a thrilling Heat 6, as Palm Toft and skipper Simon Lambert came through from behind to post a 5-1, with Lambert pipping Leon Flint to second place on the line in a photo finish.
With the threat of heavy rain, the plan was to complete the 15 races as quickly as possible, although there were a few early delays, especially in Heat 4, when Luke Harrison twice fell in opening bend incidents with Ace Pijper. Teenager Pijper is a member of the Scunthorpe Stags National League team and was an impressive winner of Heat 8, after winning a battle with Lambert.
The final race was reached just prior to 9pm, before the arrival of the rain. The track was a little slicker than usual by the end, but still provided good racing. Connor Mountain raced from fourth to second in Heat 14 to join Nathan Ablitt for a 5-1. The nominated Heat 15 was a Chris Harris masterclass, as the former British Grand Prix winner fought his way from behind and prevented Jake Allen scoring a paid maximum for Scorpions in the process.
Scorpions put in a strong all-around team performance – led by Allen on 13+1 – with every rider scoring at least five points, against a Glasgow team that relied almost solely on the efforts of Harris, Flint and Pijper.
Scorpions’ team manager David Howe said: “I’m very happy with the result. With the weather that was due to come in, we banged through the meeting and that meant the track was a bit slick, but our boys did the job. All the lads scored points for us, but that’s the way our team is built.
“Steve Worrall was a massive miss for Glasgow, but we can only beat what’s put in front of us and we took an emphatic win that puts up in a good position for the aggregate bonus point when we travel up to Glasgow in a couple of weeks.
“I’m very pleased for Michael. It was his first meeting back after missing a few weeks with his shoulder injury, but he scored good points. I’m happy to have our full one-to-seven back.”
SCUNTHORPE 55: Jake Allen 13+1, Michael Palm Toft 10+1, Kyle Howarth 8, Connor Mountain 7+2, Nathan Ablitt 7+2, Simon Lambert 5+2, Luke Harrison 5.
GLASGOW 35: Chris Harris 15, Leon Flint 10, Ace Pijper 6+1, James Pearson 2, Paul Starke 1+1, Jack Smith 1+1, Steve Worrall r/r.
* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions are not back in action for another fortnight, due to a break in action due to the Speedway Of Nations taking place at Belle Vue in Manchester next week. Scorpions travel to Glasgow on Friday, July 19, before hosting the Workington Comets at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday, June 26 at 7.30pm.
* IN the meantime, the joint Scunthorpe and Sheffield side are twice in action in away meetings in the WSRA National League, at Redcar this afternoon (Saturday) at 1pm and at Oxford on Sunday, July 14. Nathan Ablitt is skipper at Redcar, while Luke Harrison is unavailable.
