Scorpions pipped at the post

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 44 REDCAR BEARS 45 (LEAGUE CUP)

FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions, supported by Henderson Insurance, suffered a last lap heartache against the Redcar Bears at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Friday), as the League Cup between the two sides came to an exciting conclusion.

With the Scorpions a point ahead heading into the last race, the odds seemed in their favour when Bears’ guest Thomas Jorgensen was penalised 15 metres for a starting infringement.

The re-run saw a pulsating battle for the lead between Josh Auty and Lasse Bjerre. Auty switched lines to roar inside Bjerre on the opening lap, but Bjerre thundered back past with a lap to go.

Auty then swooped to go around the Dane on the back straight of the final lap, but Bjerre moved across in an attempt to slam the door shut. With both riders side-by-side right out by the fence, there was apparent contact and Auty lifted. Auty tried to regain control of his machine, but he fell, and with Bjerre avoiding exclusion from referee Tony Steele, it left the Bears with a match-winning 4-2, snatching the verdict by a single point.

In a see-saw meeting, neither team led by more than four points.

The Scorpions led by two points with three heats remaining, but saw that lead evaporate when Auty suffered an engine failure in Heat 13, and a 3-3 was transformed into a 4-2 for Redcar.

An eventful Heat 14 needed to be staged three times, with Rafal Konopka (whose bike leapt the air fence and smashed into the catch-fencing) and Nike Lunna both suffering exclusions after falls, and then Carl Wilkinson winning the resulting match race, after passing Matej Kus.

Anders Mellgren, in for David Howe, who was out with a dislocated shoulder after a workshop accident, proved a fine guest for the Scorpions scoring paid 12.

Theo Pijper scored paid 11 from his four rides, and may well have taken a ride in Heat 15, but for being struck in the eye while watching the penultimate race.

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “It’s a disappointing result for us. But when you look down our scorecard, we dropped quite a few points.

“Josh (Auty) didn’t finish in two races in which he was in points scoring positions, and Nike (Lunna) likewise didn’t finish two races where he was in points scoring positions.

“That’s what kept it close and allowed Redcar to nick it. But full credit to Redcar, who ride this place well. They had a real track expert in their guest, Thomas Jorgensen.

“It didn’t go our way, but we’re not going to press the panic button. Our two reserves, Nike and Ellis Perks, are still learning their trade. The track here is pretty consistent, but was just a little different to last week, and they are still learning how to set their bikes up around here.

“As for the last race, you have to be fair to the referee, because he can’t see coming into the third bend, when it’s as close as that.

“My take on it was that they touched on the back straight, after Lasse Bjerre ran Josh in so hard, that he had nowhere left to go. They were both so wide, that when they clashed on the back straight, by the time Josh got his front wheel back down, Lasse had left him with no track.

“But I was in that position many times during my refereeing days, and if you can’t see it, then you can’t give it.”

FLUIDAIR POWER SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS SUPPORTED BY HENDERSON INSURANCE 44
1. Anders Mellgren (Guest) 3 2* 1* 2 2 (10+2)
2. Theo Pijper 2* 3 3 2 (10+1)
3. Alex Davies 0 0 3 2 (5)
4. Carl Wilkinson 2 1 2* 3 (8+1)
5. Josh Auty 2 3 2 R FX (7)
6. Ellis Perks 2 0 0 (2)
7. Nike Lunna FX 1* R 1* FX (2+2)

REDCAR BEARS 45
1. Lasse Bjerre 1 3 3 3 3 (13)
2. Jan Graversen 0 1 2* 2 1 (6+1)
3. Thomas Jorgensen (Guest) 3 2 3 3 1 (12)
4. Hugh Skidmore R/R
5. Matej Kus 3 1 R 1 2 (7)
6. Rafal Konopka 3 0 1* 1 FX FX (5+1)
7. Ben Morley 1 0 1* 0 (2+1)

1: Mellgren, Pijper, Bjerre, Graversen, 56.34 (5-1) (5-1).
2: (Re-run) Konopka, Perks, Morley, Lunna (fell, excluded), awarded – no time (2-4) (7-5).
3: (Re-run) Jorgensen, Wilkinson, Graversen, Davies, 58.45 (2-4) (9-9).
4: Kus, Auty, Lunna, Morley, 57.65 (3-3) (12-12).
5: Bjerre, Graversen, Wilkinson, Davies, 57.94 (1-5) (13-17).
6: Pijper, Mellgren, Kus, Konopka, 58.98 (5-1) (18-18).
7: (Re-run) Auty, Jorgensen, Konopka, Perks, 57.78 (3-3) (21-21).
8: (Re-run) Pijper, Graversen, Morley, Lunna (ret), 59.27 (3-3) (24-24).
9: Davies, Wilkinson, Konopka, Kus (ret), 58.98 (5-1) (29-25).
10: Jorgensen, Pijper, Mellgren, Morley, 59.04 (3-3) (32-28).
11: Bjerre, Auty, Graversen, Perks, 58.05 (2-4) (34-32).
12: Jorgensen, Davies, Lunna, Konopka (fell, excluded), awarded – no time (3-3) (37-35).
13: Bjerre, Mellgren, Kus, Auty (ret), 58.18 (2-4) (39-39).
14: (Re-run twice) Wilkinson, Kus, Lunna (fell, excluded), Lunna (fell, excluded), 58.81 (3-2) (42-41).
15: (Re-run) Bjerre, Mellgren, Jorgensen (15m penalty for starting infringement), Auty (fell, excluded), awarded – no time (2-4) (44-45).

PHOTO: Carl Wilkinson overtakes Matej Kus in Heat 14.