FIGHTING PERFORMANCE AT EDINBURGH

LAMBERT AND ALLEN LEAD FIGHTING PERFORMANCE FOR SCORPIONS AT EDINBURGH

EDINBURGH MONARCHS 48 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 42 (Cab Direct Championship)

ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions restored some pride with a narrow 42-48 defeat at Edinburgh’s Armadale Stadium last night (Friday).

Scorpions previously lost 40-50 at home to Edinburgh last month. But they gave Monarchs a harder time at Armadale.

In a yo-yo opening section of the meeting, Scorpions twice levelled the scores with 5-1s from Simon Lambert and Declan Kennedy in Heat 2, and Jake Allen and Lambert in Heat 4.

Monarchs then pulled ahead, before a mini-fightback by Scorpions towards the end of the meeting narrowed the gap between the two teams once more.

Scunthorpe would have been even closer, but for a controversial exclusion for Luke Harrison in Heat 7. Former Scorpion Michael Palm Toft – who looked ill at ease with the Armadale track all evening – pulled a locker on the second bend, leaving Harrison nowhere to go, as both came down. In a perplexing decision, referee Gary Allen somehow decreed that Harrison was the guilty party for the incident.

Skipper Lambert was involved in all three 5-1s for Scorpions and top-scored for the visitors with 14+1, while Allen also enjoyed a productive evening and scored 13+1. Justin Sedgmen scored a full 15-point maximum for Edinburgh Monarchs.

Scorpions’ team manager David Howe said: “Tonight was a big improvement on our previous away performance at Glasgow last weekend. We were in the meeting and challenging this evening, and we just fell short.

“Jake Allen was fantastic, while Simon Lambert also had a really good meeting, scoring plenty of points from reserve.”

Scorpions are back in action at Berwick tonight (Saturday).

EDINBURGH 48: Justin Sedgmen 15, Paco Castagna 14+2, Kye Thomson 7+2, Jonatan Grahn 7+2, Michael Palm Toft 3+1, Jordy Loftus 2, Victor Palovaara r/r.

SCUNTHORPE 42: Simon Lambert 14+1, Jake Allen 13+1, Connor Mountain 6+1, Steve Worrall 6, Declan Kennedy 2, Zaine Kennedy 1+1, Luke Harrison 0.

* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions are next at home on Friday, August 29 at 7.30pm, when they entertain Redcar Bears in the Cab Direct Championship at the Eddie Wright Raceway. It is the final home meeting of the season for Scorpions.

SATURDAY MORNING UPDATE: Unfortunately, Jake Allen aggravated a scaphoid injury last night during Heat 15. There has been no improvement overnight and he needs to rest. R/R will be used as we are unable to secure a guest at short notice.