SCORPIONS UNLUCKY AT OXFORD
OXFORD CHEETAHS 49 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 41 (Cab Direct Championship)
ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions were left wondering what might have been, after two exclusions cost them the chance of victory in the Cab Direct Championship at Oxford last night (Wednesday). Oxford Cheetahs eventually won by 49-41.
Firstly, Jake Allen – placed into Heat 11 as a tactical substitute after two earlier wins – was disqualified from the race after a fall for Jordan Jenkins as Allen came back through into third place.
Zaine Kennedy had overtaken Cameron Heeps in Heat 12, when Heeps caught Kennedy’s back wheel entering the third turn. Heeps ploughed into the fence at speed in a frightening crash and it was a relief when he got to his feet and hobbled off the track. But Scorpions were left perplexed when Kennedy was kicked out of the re-run by referee Dave Watters. In a stroke, a probable 5-1 to Scorpions in the re-run was changed to a 4-2 to Oxford.
With both Jenkins and Heeps withdrawn from the meeting, Cheetahs were down to five riders, but it was too late for Scorpions to hit back – with Oxford skipper Sam Masters taking both Heats 13 and 15.
Allen top-scored for Scorpions with 10+2 – despite his dubious exclusion – while No 1 Steve Worrall scored 10. The match-winner for Cheetahs was teenage reserve Mitch McDiarmid with 11+2.
Scunthorpe looked much sharper than on their previous visit to Oxford in April – when they had lost by 20 points – and were only two points down after nine races. Scorpions will fancy their chances of the aggregate bonus point when the two sides meet at the Eddie Wright Raceway on June 20.
Scorpions’ skipper Simon Lambert said: “First and foremost, best wishes to Cameron Heeps. That was a massive crash – the biggest I’ve seen in a long time. He’s a tough cookie in how he managed to get up and walk away. All the boys went to see how Cam was, including Zaine. You’re trying to earn a living while entertaining the crowd and accidents like that are the downside of speedway.
“From our point of view, Zaine’s exclusion was the wrong decision – Oxford will argue it was the right one.
“It didn’t go all our way. Our tactical substitute also didn’t work due to another debatable refereeing decision. I’m not saying Jordan (Jenkins) dived, but I felt he went down a bit too easy and Jake shouldn’t have gone for that.
“But it was a massive improvement from our performance here in the cup, when we lost by 20 points and we were a bit lucky to only lose by that much.
“I had a much better night. I believe I’ve sorted out all my issues now. Oxford is not my favourite track by any means, but I’ve come here and got paid eight and scored in every race. It’s probably the first meeting this season when I’ve enjoyed riding my motorbike.
“I knew it wasn’t me – it was my equipment. I’ve spent four grand on my equipment in the last ten days sorting it out.”
OXFORD 49: Sam Masters 13+1, Mitch McDiarmid 11+2, Danyon Hume 8+1, Cameron Heeps 6+1, Jordan Jenkins 4, Luke Killeen 4, Francis Gusts 3.
SCUNTHORPE 41: Jake Allen 10+2 Steve Worrall 10, Connor Mountain 6+1, Luke Harrison 6+1, Simon Lambert 5+3, Zaine Kennedy 3, Declan Kennedy 1+1.
* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions are next in action, when they host the Berwick Bandits in the Cab Direct Championship at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway a week on Friday (June 6) at 7.30pm.
PHOTO by Ian Rispin
