SCORPIONS PICK UP THRILLING VICTORY AT PLYMOUTH

SCORPIONS PICK UP THRILLING VICTORY AT PLYMOUTH

PLYMOUTH GLADIATORS 42 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 47 (Cab Direct Championship)

ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions showed plenty of fighting spirit to pick up a hard-fought 47-42 win at the Plymouth Coliseum in the Cab Direct Championship last night (Saturday).

The away victory moves Scunthorpe right back into contention in the Cab Direct Championship, especially if Scorpions can defeat Gladiators again at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (July 11).

Scorpions were six points behind at one stage and only led once – at the conclusion of Heat 15.

The scores were locked together entering Heat 15. Scunthorpe had choice of gates and manager David Howe selected Steve Worrall and Jake Allen from gates 1 and 3 respectively – the same gates where they had took a 5-1 in Heat 13 to level the scores.

Allen and Worrall were holding a 5-1, when Kyle Howarth fell on the second lap after his engine had seized.  With Howarth excluded, the Scunthorpe pair again took the lead in the re-run. Plymouth’s stand-in skipper Alfie Bowtell headed wide around the tightest track in the country and was right in contention, but the Scunthorpe pair shut him out. On the final lap, Bowtell went for a final sweep, but ran out of room and crashed, and Allen and Worrall ended up with a 5-0.

While Allen (13+1), trump card reserve Zaine Kennedy (13) and Worrall (12+2) scored the bulk of Scorpions’ points, it was a team performance, with the whole team battling for points – such as when skipper Simon Lambert grabbed third place on the line from Bowtell in Heat 1.

At one point, the luck seemed to be firmly against Scunthorpe. In Heat 5, Scorpions were on for a 5-1 or 4-2, as Bowtell and Lambert battled for second place, before Lambert – given very little room by his opponent – came down. Gladiators took a 4-2 in the re-run.

Meanwhile, Bowtell was somehow allowed back in the re-run of Heat 6, after seemingly falling off on his own on the second bend, while Heat 12 was allowed to continue being an obvious rolling start by new Plymouth signing Daniel Klima – although Zaine Kennedy limited the damage by soon taking over in front.

Gladiators moved six points in front after Heat 8, and Worrall came into Heat 9 as a tactical substitute and joined Allen for a 4-2. Gladiators again led by six points, before Worrall and Kennedy rode a determined first lap in Heat 11 for another 4-2.

Scorpions only provided six heat winners on the night, but crucially took heat advantages in five of those, including a 5-1 from Kennedy and Allen in Heat 4.

There was very light drizzle in the early stages and a brief burst of a heavier shower before the re-run of Heat 6.  But the rain soon stopped and the track held up well.

Jake Allen only dropped one point in a 13+1 display and was involved in two 5-1s, a 5-0 and a 4-2 to the Scorpions.

The Australian star said: “We lost the coin toss and we had some tough races off gate 4 in many of the early races. But that was a blessing in disguise, since it gave us the preferred gates in the big heats at the end. We kept that thought in our minds and made sure we stayed in contention so that we could take advantage of that.

 “In both Heats 13 and 15, I knew if I could make the start off gate 3, then Stevie (Worrall) would give me the room, because he’s a good rider and also a team-rider. We spoke about it before we went out. In Heat 15, we just tried to replicate what we did in Heat 13 and we managed to do so. I hope Kyle Howarth is okay after his fall.

“I won Heat 9, but I felt I was just lacking a bit of speed from the start, made a couple of alterations and I got out in both Heats 13 and 15.

“I’ve been off the bike for a month. There’s been some family issues for my partner and myself. My thanks to Rob Godfrey (Scunthorpe promoter) for his understanding during a difficult time. Everyone has been really understanding. It’s good to be back at a racetrack, rather than a hospital.

“Family comes first. When it’s that close to home, you don’t want to be anywhere else. But now I can fully focus on racing again and the rest of the season.”

PLYMOUTH 42: Kyle Howarth 10, Alfie Bowtell 8, Mitchell Cluff 7+1, Lasse Fredriksen 7, Joe Thompson 5, Daniel Klima 5, Ben Barker r/r.
SCUNTHORPE 47: Jake Allen 13+1, Zaine Kennedy 13, Steve Worrall 12+2, Connor Mountain 5+1, Declan Kennedy 3+1, Simon Lambert 1+1, Luke Harrison 0.

* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions face Plymouth Gladiators in the return fixture at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (July 11) where a victory would claim another three points – including an aggregate bonus point – for Scorpions.