Big Match Preview: Scunthorpe v Plymouth
CLASH BETWEEN OLD RIVALS STARTS IMPORTANT SPELL FOR SCORPIONS
SECOND-PLACED Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions commence a spell of four Cab Direct Championship league meetings in seven days with the visit of Plymouth Gladiators to Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway tomorrow evening (Friday) at 7.30pm.
Scunthorpe are seeking to maintain their 100% home record and make it ten out of ten victories at the EWR this season. They also are looking to build up a lead to claim the aggregate bonus point, since the two sides meet again in South Devon on Saturday evening. Next week, Scorpions face league leaders Poole twice – down at Wimborne Road on Wednesday (August 7) and back at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (August 9).
Scunthorpe and Plymouth are old rivals from 2006 and 2007, when Scorpions won almost all of the silverware on offer at Conference League level and often it was Plymouth who Scorpions defeated in various finals.
Scorpions and Gladiators already faced each other earlier this season in the first round of Cab Direct Knockout Cup. Scunthorpe won 61-29 at home, Gladiators won the second leg at the Plymouth Coliseum by 51-39, and Scorpions progressed by 100-80 on aggregate.
Scorpions are due to remain at full strength, while new Danish signing Patrick Baek is set to ride for Plymouth.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We’re in a good position at the moment, but we need to keep up the momentum and not only ensure our place in the play-offs, but to finish as high as possible and keep up our aim of finishing in the top two.
“We’ve beaten Plymouth well at the Eddie Wright Raceway once this season. No doubt Gladiators will be aiming to make more of a fight of it this time around, but we’d like to build up a nice lead for the return fixture down there on Saturday.
“The fixture at Plymouth is intriguing, since they’ve dropped the experienced Kyle Newman and replaced him with a new Dane. Newman scored double figures [paid 11] against us at Plymouth earlier in the season and his absence is likely to work in our favour and we’ll also be looking to emerge from that meeting with a victory.
“But without getting ahead of myself, we first need to deal with Gladiators at the EWR. With Ben Barker lining up for Plymouth against our lads, entertainment is pretty much guaranteed. A reminder that kids up to the age of 16 are free and now it’s the school holidays, it’s the perfect place for families to visit on a Friday evening.”
For those who cannot make it to the Eddie Wright Raceway, Scorpions are live streaming home meetings for just £11.99 at: https://tv.scunthorpe-speedway.com/
ADMISSION PRICES FOR TOMORROW (FRIDAY):
Adult: £20.00
Student/OAP: £18.00
Child (0 – 16): Free (must be accompanied by paying adult)
Programme: £1.00
Car Parking free
Pay on the day at the turnstiles by cash or card.
Expected teams for tomorrow (Friday):
Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Michael Palm Toft, 2. Simon Lambert (captain), 3. Jake Allen, 4. Connor Mountain, 5. Kyle Howarth, 6. Nathan Ablitt, 7. Luke Harrison.
Plymouth Gladiators: 1. Nico Covatti R/R, 2. Alfie Bowtell, 3. Dan Thompson, 4. Patrick Baek, 5. Ben Barker, 6. Joe Thompson, 7. Jacob Hook.