SCORPIONS GO DOWN FIGHTING AT OXFORD
SCORPIONS GO DOWN FIGHTING AT OXFORD
OXFORD CHEETAHS 49 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 41 (Cab Direct Championship play-off, semi-final, first leg)
Oxford win 95-85 on aggregate
ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions put in a massive effort and were close to causing an upset, before eventually losing 41-49 in the second leg of their play-off semi-final at Oxford last night (Wednesday), as Oxford Cheetahs won 95-85 on aggregate and progressed to the Grand Final.
Scunthorpe had lost the home leg at the Eddie Wright Raceway five days earlier by 44-46, after surrendering a ten-point lead.
Scorpions used Drew Kemp as a guest at No 1, after Michael Palm Toft withdrew from the Championship League Riders’ Championship at Redcar on Sunday after aggravating a knee injury and was still not fit enough to resume his place at Oxford.
Sharp-starting Scorpions charged into an early 18-12 lead at Sandy Lane, as they silenced a healthy Oxford crowd.
Scorpions moved ahead with a 5-1 from Jake Allen and skipper Simon Lambert in Heat 3, and then took a 4-2 from Kemp and Connor Mountain in Heat 5.
Cheetahs started to edge back, but Kyle Howarth and Nathan Ablitt moved Scorpions ahead on aggregate once more with a 4-2 in Heat 9, with Ablitt in second place at one point in the race.
Oxford took a 5-1 in Heat 10 to move ahead on aggregate. But Scorpions moved 37-35 ahead on the night and back level on aggregate with a 4-2 in Heat 12. Lambert and Ashton Boughen came down on the first bend and a re-run with all four riders was ordered. Lambert and Ablitt hit the front in the re-run, but Luke Killeen battled into second place.
The formidable pairing of Scott Nicholls and Sam Masters took a 5-1 for Cheetahs in Heat 13, and Scorpions needed to hit back in Heat 14. From the tapes, Allen and Ablitt held a 5-1, but Oxford guest Dan Gilkes flew around the outside on the opening lap to take the lead and then Killeen moved past Ablitt into third, as Oxford took the 4-2 they needed to progress to the final.
Another 5-1 to Masters and Nicholls in Heat 15 resulted in a final scoreline that slightly flattered Cheetahs, since Scorpions led on the night and were level on aggregate with only three races to go.
Scunthorpe team manager David Howe said: “I am proud of the boys for the way they put in everything tonight.
“The defeat is hard to swallow, but I would rather see a fighting performance than lying down and rolling over. On one hand, I’m proud how we’ve ridden, on the other hand I’m sad that we’ve missed out on the final.
“We didn’t lose this tie at the Oxford tonight. We lost it in the home leg at Scunthorpe last week. But that’s done and we can’t change that.
“Some of our riders don’t like riding much at Oxford – it’s not Simon Lambert’s favourite track. But he got stuck in and scored points tonight. Also a mention to Luke Harrison, who I couldn’t fault for effort tonight. He was 100 per cent better tonight than he was at Oxford in May. We’re building for the future with Luke.
“I feel we’ve stopped the rot, after two home defeats. We won’t take Edinburgh for granted when they come to Scunthorpe on Friday, but we want to get through to the final of the BSN Series with the same positive attitude that we’ve shown tonight. And if we then take the same kind of attitude into the final against Poole, who knows what can happen?”
CAB DIRECT CHAMPIONSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL, 2nd leg
OXFORD 49: Scott Nicholls 13+1, Sam Masters 12+1, Cameron Heeps 8+1, Luke Killeen 6+2, Dan Gilkes 5, Ashton Boughen 3, Jody Scott 2.
SCUNTHORPE 41: Kyle Howarth 9, Jake Allen 8, Simon Lambert 7+2, Drew Kemp 6+1, Connor Mountain 6+1, Nathan Ablitt 5, Luke Harrison 0.
Oxford win 95-85 on aggregate
* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions are back in action at the Eddie Wright Raceway tomorrow (Friday, September 20), when they face the Edinburgh Monarchs in the second leg of the BSN Series semi-final. Scunthorpe have a nine-point advantage after a 49-40 away victory at Armadale. The aggregate winners will face Poole Pirates in the final.
(Photo: Les Aubrey)
