SCORPIONS EDGED OUT AT WORKINGTON

WORKINGTON COMETS 47 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 43 (BSN Series – Northern Group)

ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions put in a battling performance at Workington yesterday afternoon (Saturday), but eventually lost out in a BSN Series fixture, with home side Workington Comets winning a riveting contest containing some outstanding speedway by 47-43.

Scorpions were using rider replacement for Luke Harrison – who was riding in a European Under-19 qualifier in Slovakia. Zaine Kennedy took the outing in Heat 1 and joined Steve Worrall for a 5-1 over Workington No 1 Troy Batchelor, as Scorpions made the best possible start.

Workington hit back with a 5-1 of their own in Heat 2, but Connor Mountain and skipper Simon Lambert put Scorpions back ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 3, as the two sides continued to trade maximum heat wins.

Heat 4 was shared, with Jake Allen taking third place from Antti Vuolas, with referee Dave Watters needing to consult transponder times to split the two riders.

If that was a close finish, it was nothing compared to Heat 5. Workington’s Fraser Bowes led, as Declan Kennedy battled with Tate Zischke for second place. On the final bend, Kennedy thrust through on the inside and pipped the two Workington riders in a treble photo finish!

Scunthorpe were unlucky when Jake Allen threw a chain on the first turn of Heat 6 and was excluded for inadvertently causing an accident behind him. Zaine Kennedy’s bike had already been damaged when he was taken off by Jye Etheridge in the original staging of Heat 1, and now a machine of Declan Kennedy also took a battering. Comets levelled with a 5-1 in the re-run and moved ahead with another maximum in Heat 8.

But Declan Kennedy produced another outstanding ride to thrust inside both Bowes and Zischke in Heat 9, and then Allen team-rode him to a 5-1, as the scores were levelled once again.

Comets again took control, but Declan Kennedy produced more heroics in Heat 12, beating Zischke in a battle for first place, as he joined Lambert for a 4-2.

Workington moved six points ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 13. But Worrall came into Heat 14 as a tactical substitute and joined Connor Mountain for a 5-1 that reduced the deficit to two points entering the decisive final race.

In Heat 15, Worrall was the early leader, but Vuolas passed him on the opening lap. Meanwhile, Batchelor fended off Mountain for third place, as Comets edged home with a 4-2.

Worrall top scored for Scorpions with 11+1, while Declan Kennedy won three races – all from the back – to score 10 points.

Scorpions are involved in their concluding BSN Series qualifying meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday (May 9) at 7.30pm – in the return fixture against Workington.

All three points – including the aggregate bonus point – would take them into a probable second place in the Northern Group and Scorpions would then be waiting on results in other groups to see if they can finish as highest-scoring runners-up and reach the semi-finals.

WORKINGTON 47: Antti Vuolas 11, Troy Batchelor 9+2, Jye Etheridge 8+1, Vinnie Foord 7+2, Tate Zischke 4+1, Jacob Hook 4+1, Fraser Bowes 4.

SCUNTHORPE 43: Steve Worrall 11+1, Declan Kennedy 10, Connor Mountain 8+1, Zaine Kennedy 6+1, Simon Lambert 5+1, Jake Allen 3+2, Luke Harrison r/r.