SCORPIONS AIM TO KEEP IT CLOSE AT OXFORD

IT’S a huge week ahead for the Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions, as they are involved in both legs of their Cab Direct Championship play-off semi-final with Oxford Cheetahs. The first leg takes place tonight (Wednesday) at Oxford Stadium, with the second leg at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday evening at 7.30pm.

The aggregate winners will progress to the final, where the opposition will be either Poole Pirates or Workington Comets, who are involved in the other semi-final this week.

Cheetahs finished second in the regular Cab Direct Championship table, while Scorpions were third. The play-offs are all-important and will determine the league champions.

Scorpions last won the league championship in 2012, pipping Somerset 92-91 in the play-off final after brilliant two legs of speedway.

For the first leg at Cowley tonight, Scorpions are at full strength. Oxford are missing the trio of Cameron Heeps, Jordan Jenkins and Adam Roynon, with Cheetahs using the rider replacement facility and Joe Thompson and Connor Coles as guests.

In the standard Cab Direct Championship matches, Scorpions lost 34-55 at Oxford on June 5 and defeated Cheetahs by 47-43 at the Eddie Wright Raceway on August 30.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We will aim to keep it as close as we can at Oxford, although I don’t want to set a target.

“It’s 30 races and it’s who’s winning at the end of the 30 that matters, nothing else. It’s not just about the first leg scoreline. We’ll be confident, Oxford will be confident, there’s going to be a winner and there’s going to be a loser, that’s sport, so bring it on.”

For those who cannot make it down at Oxford, British Speedway Network (BSN) are streaming the meeting at: https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk/

Expected teams for tonight (Wednesday):

Monarch Oxford Cheetahs: 1. Sam Masters, 2. Joe Thompson (guest), 3, Cameron Heeps R/R, 4. Ashton Boughen, 5. Scott Nicholls (captain), 6. Luke Killeen, 7. Connor Coles (guest), 8. Jody Scott.

Ellie Rose Travel Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Michael Palm Toft, 2. Connor Mountain, 3. Simon Lambert (captain), 4. Jake Allen, 5. Kyle Howarth, 6. Nathan Ablitt, 7. Luke Harrison.