Scorpions leave Brough Park with pride intact
NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS 53 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 39 (LEAGUE CUP)
FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions, supported by Henderson Insurance, completed their sequence of four meetings in four days with a 39-53 League Cup defeat at Newcastle last night (Sunday).
It’s one of the Scorpions’ better results at the tight Brough Park circuit in recent years.
Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “A day before, Berwick had all sorts of bike problems in their meeting against us. At Newcastle, it was our turn to be hit by all sorts of mechanical dramas.
“That makes the result even more respectable for us.
“The two meetings against the Diamonds have been a dress rehearsal for the Knockout Cup clashes between the two sides. On aggregate, we won by 92-90 (it was 90-90 if you take out our tactical ride, which are not allowed in the cup), so those are going to be two meetings to relish, when they come along.”
Godfrey continued: “Both Joss Auty – who would fully admit that Newcastle is not his favourite track – and Carl Wilkinson were very impressive.
“David Howe & Nike Lunna both had all sorts of machinery problems, although Nike impressed me with the way he rode the track. I’d seen comments from people saying Nike wouldn’t get around the place, but he rode it well, and would have scored more with a fully functioning bike.
“I think the four meetings in four days have helped us. They’ve got us going. It’s particularly helped out Alex Davies (pictured), I’m more and more impressed by him and I’m convinced he has a good year ahead of him.
“In each of the four meetings, we’ve been good value and entertained, and that’s what it’s all about.”
The meeting at Brough Park did not get off to the best of starts for the Scorpions, with David Howe receiving a somewhat harsh tapes exclusion from Heat 1, as it appeared the starting gate had malfunctioned.
Carl Wilkinson and Josh Auty won Heats 3 & 4 respectively for the Scorpions, with the latter race also seeing Nike Lunna finish ahead of Lewis Rose in only his third-ever ride at the track.
The Diamonds gradually pulled ahead, although Wilkinson and Alex Davies did take a 4-2 from Heat 7.
Auty provided entertainment, passing Lewis Kerr for first place in Heat 9 and Steve Worrall for second place in Heat 13.
In between, Davies took Scorpions’ tactical ride in Heat 12, but was thwarted by Kerr.
Wilkinson won his third race of the evening in Heat 14. He suffered a fall in the first staging of Heat 15, but he escaped unhurt.
NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS 53
1. Steve Worrall 3 2* 0 1 (6+1)
2. Christian Henry 1 3 3 3 1 (11)
3. Lewis Kerr 2 3 2 3 (10)
4. Anton Rosen 1* 0 1* 2 (4+2)
5. Ludvig Lindgren 2 2 3 3 3 (13)
6. Simon Nielsen 3 0 1 1* (5+1)
7. Lewis Rose 2* 0 1 1 (4+1)
FLUIDAIR POWER SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS SUPPORTED BY HENDERSON INSURANCE 39
1. David Howe TX 1* R 0 (1+1)
2. Theo Pijper 2 2 2 2 (8)
3. Alex Davies 0 1 2 4# (7)
4. Carl Wilkinson 3 3 1* 3 FX (10+1)
5. Josh Auty 3 1 3 2 2 (11)
6. Ellis Perks 0 0 0 0 (0)
7. Nike Lunna 0 1 1 0 0 MX (2)
# = tactical ride
1: (Re-run twice) Worrall, Pijper, Henry, Lunna, Howe (excluded, tape touching), 63.4 (4-2) (4-2).
2: Nielsen, Rose, Lunna, Perks, 65.4 (5-1) (9-3).
3: Wilkinson, Kerr, Rosen, Davies, 64.0 (3-3) (12-6).
4: Auty, Lindgren, Lunna, Rose, 64.1 (2-4) (14-10).
5: Kerr, Pijper, Howe, Rosen, 63.8 (3-3) (17-13).
6: Henry, Worrall, Auty, Perks, 64.8 (5-1) (22-14).
7: Wilkinson, Lindgren, Davies, Nielsen, 64.0 (2-4) (24-18).
8: Henry, Pijper, Rose, Lunna, 64.7 (4-2) (28-20).
9: Auty, Kerr, Rosen, Perks, 64.4 (3-3) (31-23).
10: Henry, Davies, Wilkinson, Worrall, 64.70 (3-3) (34-26).
11: (Re-run) Lindgren, Pijper, Nielsen, Howe (ret), 64.5 (4-2) (38-28).
12: Kerr, DAVIES (TR), Rose, Lunna, 64.9 (4-4) (42-32).
13: Lindgren, Auty, Worrall, Howe, 64.2 (4-2) (46-34).
14: (Re-run) Wilkinson, Rosen, Nielsen, Perks (15m penalty for tape touching), Lunna (excluded, two minutes), 65.2 (3-3) (49-37).
15: (Re-run) Lindgren, Auty, Henry, Wilkinson (fell, excluded), 64.3 (4-2) (53-39).
* The Scorpions complete their League Cup fixtures by entertaining the Redcar Bears at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday (7.30pm).
