Decisive meeting at Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday
FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions are looking to all-but-mathematically clinch a place in the Premier League play-offs, by taking three points off rivals Peterborough Panthers at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday evening (7.30pm).
Scunthorpe lost 44-45 in a tightly-contested encounter at Peterborough on Tuesday night, where they were a little unlucky not to win the meeting. However, the point gained for a narrow away loss moved the fifth-placed Scorpions just that little bit nearer to securing a place in the top six.
Friday is well-and-truly a ‘seven pointer’, and its potential effect on the final league table could be significant.
Three points for the Scorpions (for a win of seven points or more) would move them onto 43 points and mean either Workington or Peterborough would have to put together an impressive string of results to overhaul them in fifth place. The chances of both Peterborough and Workington BOTH going on such a run, to push the Scorpions down to seventh and out of the play-off places would be somewhat unlikely.
However, four points to the Panthers (for an away win of seven points or more), and the Scorpions would still to left with work to do from their home and away meetings with Berwick (September 6 at Shielfield Park and September 9 at the Eddie Wright Raceway) and the visit to Rye House on September 13.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey enthused: “I think it’s going to be an absolute belter. The results between Scunthorpe and Peterborough this year have been 46-43, 46-44 and 45-44. Both teams ride the other team’s racetrack so well.
“Both teams need the points from this meeting. I’m sure Peterborough will be fired up for the meeting, and I can assure everyone that our lads will be.”
Since the reintroduction of the play-offs in 2012, the Premier League has become all about peaking at the right time, and Godfrey feels this is starting to happen with his team.
“We’re now moving into the business end of the season”, he said.
“We put in a shaky home performance to Redcar at the Eddie Wright Raceway last Wednesday in what was our first complete meeting for weeks, after the rain interrupted us for a few weeks.
“But since then our riders have performed well – winning in fine style at Redcar, so nearly taking a point at Workington, beating Workington at home with some comfort, and being unfortunate not to win at Peterborough as well.
“I feel we’re moving into form just at the right time.
“Ash (Birks) has now kicked on, and he’s going to be a real asset down at reserve, just as David (Howe) was last month, and Thomas (Jorgensen) and Ryan (Douglas) were before that.”
There are 24 heats of action in total, with a nine-heat second half, including a Midland Development League match between Castleford and Belle Vue.
Admission prices for Friday:
Adult: £15.00
Student/OAP: £13.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
Family Ticket £35 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17)
Match Programme: £1.00
Expected teams for Friday (English unless stated):
FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Nicolai Klindt (Denmark), 2. David Howe, 3. Ryan Douglas (Australia), 4. Josh Auty, 5. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark), 6. Tom Perry, 7. Ashley Birks.
Peterborough Panthers: 1. Stuart Robson (guest), 2. Adam Roynon, 3. Richard Hall, 4. Ulrich Ostergaard (Denmark), 5. Ales Dryml (Czech Republic), 6. Max Dilger (Germany), 7. Nicki Barrett (Denmark).
Midland Development League teams:
Castleford: 1. Danny Phillips, 2. Tom Bacon, 3. Adam Portwood, 4. Ben Hewitt.
Belle Vue: 1. Michael Neale, 2. Scooter Webster, 3. Shaun Tedham, 4. Sam Darroch.
Peterborough Panthers at EWR
Ave Ave Best
Name Lge M R Pts BP (no BP) (w BP) Performance
Nicki Barrett PL 1 3 1 0 1.33 1.33 1 from 3 rides (2013)
Max Dilger PL 4 15 11 2 2.93 3.47 4 from 4 rides (2013)
Ales Dryml PL 1 5 6 2 4.80 6.40 6 + 2 from 5 rides (2014)
Richard Hall PL 45 205 377 24 7.41 7.86 17 from 6 rides (2008)
Ulrich Ostergaard PL 8 37 67 6 7.24 7.89 18 from 6 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (2008))
Adam Roynon PL 5 21 26 5 4.95 5.90 8 + 2 from 4 rides (2013)
Other Notes
Nicki Barrett
Made his Premier League debut for Berwick during the 2012 season.
Signed for Peterborough in June to replace the injured Oliver Greenwood.
Max Dilger
2008 German Under-21 Champion
Made his Premier League debut in 2009 for Edinburgh.
Ales Dryml
Has competed in the Speedway Grand Prix Series and has represented his country in the Speedway World Cup.
2012 European Champion.
Won the 2004 and 2007 European Pairs Championship with his brother Lukas.
Member of Oxford’s 2001 Elite League Championship Winning Team.
Member of Poole’s 2003 Elite League Championship and KO Cup Winning Teams.
Won the 2004 and 2007 European Pairs Championship with his brother Lukas.
Richard Hall
Former Scunthorpe rider who has scored over 450 points for the club.
Member of Peterborough’s Elite League Championship Winning Team in 2006.
Member of Peterborough’s Elite League Shield Winning Team in 2007.
Ulrich Ostergaard
Member of Peterborough’s Elite League Championship Winning Team in 2006.
Named as the 2008 Premier League Rider of the Year by the Speedway Riders Association.
Adam Roynon
2006 Conference League Riders Champion.
Member of Mildenhall’s Conference League Championship and KO Cup Winning Teams in 2004.
Member of Rye House’s Premier League Championship Winning Team in 2007.
Member of Dudley’s National League Shield and Four-Team Championship Winning Teams in 2011.
Member of Dudley’s National League Shield Winning Team in 2012.
Member of Workington’s Premier League Pairs Winning duo in 2012.
Peterborough Panthers’ Results at EWR
26 May 2014 KOC L Scunthorpe 46 Peterborough 44
