Scorpions to “come out fighting” after double blow

FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions are feeling a sense of déjà vu, after both injured pair Ashley Birks and Ryan Douglas have been ruled out of this week’s two vital play-off matches, away at Ipswich on Thursday night, and at home to the Somerset Rebels at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday evening (7.30pm).

The Scorpions also faced an injury crisis during the 2012 play-offs, but still qualified and eventually won the final.

Birks and Douglas are both ruled out, due to scaphoid (wrist) injuries.

Skipper Birks is still determined to play some part in the club’s 2014 play-off challenge. He broke his scaphoid in two places, after a crash at Rye House just over a week ago, but has had an operation, with his wrist screwed and plated.

He is now everything he can to speed up his recovery time – including spending time in an oxygen chamber.

Douglas suffered two cracks to his scaphoid after a crash at Sheffield on Sunday during the Premier League Riders’ Championship. He, too, is hoping to return soon, but is ruled out of this week’s meetings.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey admits to feeling a little deflated, but says: “The same happened to us in 2012, when Josh Auty and Nick Morris got injured. I nearly didn’t go up to our meeting at Edinburgh that year, but we got the point that made all the difference and we ended up winning the whole thing.

“We did it then and we can do it again this year.

“We’ve got a team of tough characters, who give their best when our backs are to the wall, and will come out fighting.

“We’ll go into both meetings this week still looking to pick up points, and then we’ll see where we are for next week’s two meetings, when hopefully Ash and Ryan are back.”

The Scorpions will use rider replacement for Douglas in both meetings this week. With Douglas second in the Scorpions’ averages, every rider can take an R/R ride.

Reserve Birks is replaced by guests Mark Lemon at Ipswich and Ben Wilson at Scunthorpe.

The Scorpions make an additional change on Friday, with Benji Compton coming in for the unavailable Tom Perry, who is riding for Cradley at Coventry that night.

Godfrey added: “We’ve gone for the best guests available. We were hoping to have Steve Boxall at Ipswich; he initially said yes but then changed his mind. But we’ve still booked a quality guest in Mark Lemon.

“Everybody is now going to consider us to be the underdogs, but that’s fine, because the pressure will be on the other teams, not us. But don’t write us off yet”, he concluded.

PHOTO: Scunthorpe skipper Ashley Birks in an oxygen chamber – he wants to be back as soon as is possible.