REFEREEING DECISIONS COSTLY FOR SCORPIONS
GLASGOW TIGERS 48 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 41 (Cab Direct Championship)
ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions only had an aggregate bonus point to show for their efforts, after surrendering an eight-point lead at Glasgow last night (Friday), with the Glasgow Tigers eventually winning 48-41 after a last-heat decider.
There was drama from the off, as Glasgow skipper Chris Harris suffered a heavy fall in Heat 1. He was able to continue in the meeting, while the travelling Scunthorpe contingent were perplexed by the decision of local referee Willie Dishington to allow Harris back in the re-run – which he won.
Scorpions took a 16-8 lead with back-to-back 5-1s from Heats 3 and 4.
It moved Glasgow into tactical territory and Harris came into Heat 7 to join Tigers’ guest Ben Barker for a 5-1.
After Glasgow levelled at 24-24, Kyle Howarth and Luke Harrison moved Scorpions back ahead with a 4-2 in Heat 9.
The next piece of controversy occurred in Heat 10. Home rider Jack Smith touched the tapes, followed by Connor Mountain. But Smith only received a warning, while Mountain was excluded from the re-run. Sure enough, Smith joined Harris for a 5-1, as Tigers moved ahead for the first time with a 5-1.
Scorpions were a little fortunate in Heat 13, as the winning run of Harris was ended by an engine failure, but the Scunthorpe camp were left incensed by the events of Heat 14. Glasgow debutant Matic Ivacic clashed with Mountain, with the following Harrison also brought down. Mountain was excluded, much to the fury of Scunthorpe skipper Simon Lambert, who visited the referee’s box to make his point and was duly fined.
With Glasgow’s James Pearson suffering an engine failure, the re-run finished as a 3-2 to Glasgow, as Ivacic fended off a determined challenge from Harrison, who took his place in the re-run after an ambulance ride back to the pits.
Harris and Leon Flint took a match-winning 5-1 for Tigers in Heat 15, while Scunthorpe had the consolation of winning the aggregate point by 96-83.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey, who was team manager at Glasgow said: “It’s unfortunate that we have to focus on the performance of the referee. But if you look at it, it’s easy to see where the extra few points that would have won us the meeting went.
“It started in Heat 1 when Chris Harris fell off. Michael Palm Toft was nowhere hear him and Simon Lambert was nowhere near him and yet somehow Harris was allowed back into the re-run.
“In Heat 10, Jack Smith touched the tapes first and then Connor Mountain caught them with his peak, and yet it was Connor who was excluded.
“Poor Connor then got excluded from Heat 14, after Matic Ivacic turned left on him down the straight. After that one, as our captain, Simon went up to complain to the referee to vent our frustrations, and was promptly fined. Simon hasn’t been well for a number of weeks and he could do without the drama. Meanwhile, it’s not just that we lost. Connor was excluded twice and it’s his livelihood – it’s hit him in the pocket. He’s down and none of it was his own making.
“People will look at where the referee is from and create conspiracy theories, but I’d like to think the referee simply had a bad day. When the riders have travelled all the way to Glasgow, it’s not great when they lose out like this. We did win the aggregate bonus point, but with a 20-point-lead that was always going to be ours.
“I hope people don’t take it as sour grapes. I appreciate there are 50/50 decisions that sometimes go against you. But some of the decisions were not 50/50 tonight, there was clear cut and yet they still went against us.
“There were positives – the boys put in a great team performance. For example, Luke Harrison pulled out a great ride to beat Ivacic. From Glasgow’s perspective, they will reflect on points lost through engine failures, while for us, Jake Allen was hampered by clutch problems.
“We won’t dwell on it, and we’ll go to Poole in the cup semi-final on Wednesday in a positive frame of mind, while we will be targeting all three Cab Direct Championship points when Workington come to the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday.”
GLASGOW 48: Chris Harris 14+1, Leon Flint 11, Ben Barker 7+1, James Pearson 7+1, Jack Smith 4+1, Matic Ivacic 4, Jason Garrad 1.
SCUNTHORPE 41: Kyle Howarth 10, Michael Palm Toft 8+2 Luke Harrison 6+2, Jake Allen 6, Simon Lambert 5+1, Connor Mountain 3+1, Nathan Ablitt 3+1.
* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions travel to Poole on Wednesday in the first leg of the Cab Direct Knockout Cup semi-final, before hosting the Workington Comets at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (July 26) at 7.30pm.
