Scorpions send out a message to play-off rivals by tearing Bandits apart
SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 62 BERWICK BANDITS 34 (PREMIER LEAGUE)
FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions sent out a message to all their rivals in the forthcoming Premier League play-offs, with a huge 62-34 win over the Berwick Bandits at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Tuesday), their biggest win of the 2014 season.
The Scorpions are now absolutely 100% mathematically certain of a place in the play-offs, although, in reality, there were almost nailed on after last Friday’s 58-36 home win over Peterborough.
Scunthorpe simply tore Berwick apart, and only two successful six-point tactical rides saved the Bandits from an even bigger defeat.
Berwick are set to finish above the Scorpions in the Premier League, but judging by last night’s result, plus Scunthorpe’s narrow one-point defeat at Shielfield Park on Saturday, there’s little doubt which team is on the better current form heading into the play-offs.
The Scorpions scored nine 5-1 maximum heat advantages, and all three PL points were safely in the bag with a couple of heats to go.
Heat 15 was the icing on the cake, as Josh Auty & Ryan Douglas turned a 1-5 into a 5-1, after a brilliant four laps of action, with birthday boy Douglas eventually overhauling Claus Vissing for second place on the final bend.
Auty and Douglas both finished with 12 paid 14, while Ashley Birks (10+3), Thomas Jorgensen (9), Nicolai Klindt (8+3) and David Howe (8) also all scored heavily. Even guest Benji Compton (3+2) contributed well.
A delighted Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We went into this match, stating we wanted a convincing victory to show that we mean business going into the play-offs.
“We certainly did that. We’ve sent out the message!
“There are certain similarities between this year and 2012, when we won the league. The team is coming good at just the right time.
“This team is just on fire at the moment!
“We’ve actually started gating. Although we still have riders who can pass, when they need to. Heat 15 was just four of the best laps of speedway you’ll ever see, it really was. Josh (Auty) and Ryan (Douglas) did brilliantly to come through for the 5-1, and fair play to the two Berwick lads for giving them a race. It shows what happens when you’ve got four racers and a great track for them to race on.
“I would to say thank you to Benji Compton, for his guest appearance. He gave it his all, as he always did in the many years when he was riding for us.
“As for the play-offs, we’re ready for them. Bring it on”, Godfrey concluded.
FLUIDAIR POWER SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 62
1. Nicolai Klindt 3 1* 2* 2* (8+3)
2. David Howe 0 2 3 3 (8)
3. Ryan Douglas 2* 2 3 3 2* (12+2)
4. Josh Auty 3 1* 2* 3 3 (12+2)
5. Thomas Jorgensen 3 2 1 3 (9)
6. Benji Compton (Guest) 2* 1* F (3+2)
7. Ashley Birks 3 2* 2* 1 2* (10+3)
BERWICK BANDITS 34
1. Claus Vissing 1* 3 6# 0 1 (11+1)
2. David Bellego 2 0 1 2* (5+1)
3. Kevin Doolan 1 3 1 2 0 (7)
4. Steen Jensen 0 0 0 (0)
5. Matej Kus 1 6# 1 1 (9)
6. Matthew Wethers 1 0 0 0 0 (1)
7. Alex Edberg 0 0 0 1 (1)
# = tactical ride
1: Klindt, Bellego, Vissing, Howe, 55.75 (3-3) (3-3).
2: Birks, Compton, Wethers, Edberg, 58.93 (5-1) (8-4).
3: Auty, Douglas, Doolan, Jensen, 57.37 (5-1) (13-5).
4: Jorgensen, Birks, Kus, Edberg, 57.31 (5-1) (18-6).
5: Vissing, Douglas, Auty, Bellego, 57.56 (3-3) (21-9).
6: KUS (TR), Howe, Klindt, Wethers, 57.00 (3-6) (24-15).
7: Doolan, Jorgensen, Compton, Jensen, 58.62 (3-3) (27-18).
8: Howe, Birks, Bellego, Edberg, 58.37 (5-1) (32-19).
9: Douglas, Auty, Kus, Wethers, 57.21 (5-1) (37-20).
10: Howe, Klindt, Doolan, Jensen, 58.69 (5-1) (42-21).
11: (Re-run) VISSING (TR), Bellego, Jorgensen, Compton (fell), 58.94 (1-8) (43-29).
12: Douglas, Doolan, Birks, Wethers, 58.38 (4-2) (47-31).
13: Jorgensen, Klindt, Kus, Vissing, 58.19 (5-1) (52-32).
14: Auty, Birks, Edberg, Wethers, 58.25 (5-1) (57-33).
15: Auty, Douglas, Vissing, Doolan, 58.50 (5-1) (62-34).
PHOTO: Action from the epic Heat 15.
