Rebels too strong for Scorpions

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 33 SOMERSET REBELS 57 (PREMIER LEAGUE)

FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions, supported by Henderson Insurance, crashed to a 33-57 home defeat to the Somerset Rebels at the Eddie Wright Raceway earlier this afternoon (Bank Holiday Monday).

With both Ryan Douglas and Ben Wilson riding in their very first competitive meeting of the season, it was always going to be a tough match, especially against a Somerset side who are perhaps the strongest side in the entire Premier League.

The meeting was in the balance early on, with the Scorpions taking an 11-7 lead after successive 5-1s from Ben Wilson & Nike Lunna in Heat 2 and Carl Wilkinson & Ryan Douglas in Heat 3.

Somerset hit back and led 22-20, but the Rebels only started to take real command of the meeting after a 5-1 from Leigh Lanham & Paul Starke in Heat 8. After 10 heats, the Rebels had an 8-point lead, and then came a grandstand finish from them, as the visitors registered four maximums in the last five races.

Scunthorpe’s chances all but disappeared in a thrilling Heat 12, where the riders regularly exchanged places, until tactical ride Ryan Douglas fell. Nike Lunna was awarded the race, but with any chance of double points from Douglas lost, the race finished as a 3-3 rather than the 8-1 that the home management were hoping for.

Alex Davies top scored for the Scorpions with 8+1, while both Brady Kurtz (full maximum) and Josh Grajczonek (paid maximum) were in brilliant form for the Rebels.

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “It was an extremely tough meeting for us. We won’t be pointing the finger, because there was no lack of effort from our boys; we were simply beaten by a better side.

“In most races, we were out-gated. And in those races where we did get of the gate, the Somerset boys had so much speed and got past. Brady Kurtz was in a class of his own.

“We had the wrong opposition at the wrong time. We had two riders come in cold for this meeting, Ryan Douglas and Ben Wilson. As much as they can practice, it’s not the same as riding in a competitive meeting. Every other rider has done something like 12 or 14 meetings this year, while they were in their first meeting.

“Theo Pijper was struggling with his foot. He ran over it with his footrest during his third ride at Somerset on Friday, and it was causing him pain right from the off today.

“But no excuses – Somerset were, by far, the better team in this meeting.

“We now have to focus on our next meeting at Plymouth next Saturday (May 30th). The lads have far from given up, and there’s much more to come from us.”

FLUIDAIR POWER SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS SUPPORTED BY HENDERSON INSURANCE 33
1. Josh Auty R/R
2. Theo Pijper 1 2 1 1* 0 (5+1)
3. Ryan Douglas 2* 2 0 2 FX# 0 (6+1)
4. Carl Wilkinson 0 3 0 2 1 (6)
5. Alex Davies 1 1* 3 1 1 1 (8+1)
6. Ben Wilson 3 0 0 0 (3)
7. Nike Lunna 2* 0 0 3 (5+1)

SOMERSET REBELS 57
1. Brady Kurtz 3 3 3 3 (12)
2. Leigh Lanham 2* 1 3 2* 3 (11+2)
3. Richie Worrall 0 1* 3 2 (6+1)
4. Charles Wright 1 2 0 2* (5+1)
5. Josh Grajczonek 3 3 3 2* 2* (13+2)
6. Paul Starke 1 2* 2* 1* 3 (9+3)
7. Benji Compton F MX 0 1 (1)

# = tactical ride

1: Kurtz, Lanham, Pijper, Wilkinson, 56.43 (1-5) (1-5).
2: Wilson, Lunna, Starke, Compton (fell), 57.25 (5-1) (6-6).
3: Wilkinson, Douglas, Wright, Worrall, 58.06 (5-1) (11-7).
4: Grajczonek, Starke, Davies, Lunna, Compton (excluded two minutes), 57.88 (1-5) (12-12).
5: (Re-run) Kurtz, Douglas, Lanham, Wilkinson, 56.94 (2-4) (14-16).
6: Grajczonek, Pijper, Davies, Compton, 57.63 (3-3) (17-19).
7: Davies, Wright, Worrall, Wilson, 57.88 (3-3) (20-22).
8: Lanham, Starke, Pijper, Lunna, 57.75 (1-5) (21-27).
9: Grajczonek, Wilkinson, Compton, Douglas (fell, remounted), 58.25 (2-4) (23-31).
10: Worrall, Douglas, Pijper, Wright, 58.19 (3-3) (26-34).
11: Kurtz, Lanham, Davies, Wilson, 57.62 (1-5) (27-39).
12 (Re-run): Lunna, Worrall, Starke, DOUGLAS (TR) (fell, excluded), awarded – no time (3-3) (30-42).
13: Kurtz, Grajczonek, Davies, Pijper, 58.19 (1-5) (31-47).
14: Starke, Wright, Wilkinson, Wilson, 58.25 (1-5) (32-52).
15: Lanham, Grajczonek, Davies, Douglas, 58.37 (1-5) (33-57).

* The result of the second half National League Four Team Challenge was: Halifax Dukes 31 Belle Vue Colts 26 Scunthorpe Stags 22 Exeter Falcons 16.