Wilson set for Scorpions reserve berth

WILSON SET FOR SCORPIONS RESERVE BERTH

Former Scunthorpe Ben Wilson is set to re-join the Fluid Air Power Scunthorpe Scorpions and ride in one of the team’s reserve berths. He, along with popular Aussie rider, Ryan Douglas, will ride in the club’s next home meeting on Bank Holiday Monday. The double move looks set to revitalise the side who went down to Rye House, 36-54, last night. With club captain David Howe and reserve Ellis Perks out injured plus Finnish star Nike Lunna riding at his home Grand Prix the Scorpions struggled to replace their reserves whilst also losing both Josh Auty (broken hand) and Alex Davies (ankle injury) during the meeting.

The meeting had produced some incredible racing and was finely balanced at 27-27 after nine races but in consecutive races Auty and Davies crashed out and so did the side’s chance of victory. With rider replacement in operation for Howe and both reserves unable to beat all but one of the visiting riders the Scorpions were left with just two effective riders.

After the meeting a disappointed Godfrey admitted “The season hasn’t started how we would have hoped. Two defeats out of two at home is so disappointing after we got a draw down at Rye House and picked up a point at Berwick. It’s another three points we have to get back away from home but the new line-up should be able to pick up them up. With The Lunnatic (Nike Lunna) and Ben Wilson at reserve we should have the best reserves in the league whilst Ryan Douglas is a rider who can challenge for the number one slot.

“We will have a solid seven riders and we have to remind ourselves that that is how we won the league. We had Michael Palm Toft and Gary Irving at reserve and they were as good a pair of reserves as there was. You only have to see tonight the power of a great reserve because Kasper Lykke was probably the difference between the two sides. Even before Josh and Alex got injured it was going to be tough because we were having to field our reserves whilst Rye House could put Lykke in heats 11, 12 and 14”

“However, until heat 10 there was only two points between the sides and the racing had been outstanding. It was best racing of the season but the defeat is a bitter pill for us to swallow. However, we have to dust ourselves down, and get on with the task in hand. You could see tonight that Josh, Theo, Alex and Carl are totally committed to racing for the club and with spirit like that along with the new additions we will be a formidable side and we will make the playoffs”.

The Scorpions are next due on track at Glasgow on Sunday (17th May) whilst the next time they are at home is on Bank Holiday Monday (25th May) against the Somerset Rebels (3pm) followed by a sixteen heat four team challenge at National League standard between a Scunthorpe Select side, Halifax, Exeter & a Belle Vue Select side.

Scunthorpe Scorpions 36 – Theo Pijper 10+1 (6 rides), Carl Wilkinson 9 (6), Alex Davies 8 (4), Josh Auty 4+1 (3), Rafel Konopka (guest) 4 (6), Matt Williamson (guest) 1 ( 5)

Rye House Rockets 54 – Kasper Lykke 15 (6 rides), Edward Kennett 13+2 (5), Nikolaj Jakobsen 11+1 (6), Anders Mellgren 7+2 (5), Robin Aspegren 6+1 (5), Dan Greenwood 2 (3)

Heat 1: Kennett, Auty, Pijper, Aspegren (retired), 57.13 3-3

Heat 2: Lykke, Konopka, Greenwood, Williamson, 59.02 2-4 5-7

Heat 3: Wilkinson, Mellgren, Konopka, Aspegren (retired), 58.50 4-2 9-9

Heat 4: Jakobsen, Davies, Lykke, Konopka (retired), 58.75 2-4 11-13

Heat 5: Kennett, Pijper, Mellgren, Wilkinson (fell), 57.88 2-4 13-17

Heat 6: Pijper, Auty, Greenwood, Jakobsen (fell), no time – awarded, 5-1 18-18

Heat 7: Davies, Aspegren, Mellgren, Konopka, 59.01 3-3 21-21

Heat 8: Lykke, Pijper, Jakobsen, Williamson, 59.02 2-4 23-25

Heat 9: Davies, Jakobsen, Wilkinson, Greenwood, 58.37 4-2 27-27

Heat 10: (re-run) Aspegren, Pijper, Mellgren, Auty (fell, excluded), 59.31 2-4 29-31

Heat 11: (re-run) Lykke, Kennett, Williamson, Davies (fell, exclude), 58.88 1-5 30-36

Heat 12: Lykke, Mellgren, Wilkinson, Konopka, 58.75 1-5 31-41

Heat 13: Kennett, Jakobsen, Konopka, Williamson, 59.06 1-5 32-46

Heat 14: Wilkinson, Lykke, Aspegren, Williamson, 58.69 3-3 35-49

Heat 15: Jakobsen, Kennett, Wilkinson, Pijper (retired), 59.00 1-5 36-54