Battling Scorpions so close to a point at Redcar

REDCAR BEARS 49 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 41 (PREMIER LEAGUE)

INJURY-HIT FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions, supported by Henderson Insurance, only just missed out on a league point, after a 41-49 Premier League defeat at Redcar last night (Thursday).

Already without Josh Auty and Ryan Douglas, the Scorpions lost the services of Alex Davies after a heavy crash in Heat 4. The Australian was left feeling distinctly second hand, after a bump to the head, also hurting his shoulder.

However, Scunthorpe’s remaining five riders continued to battle away, and took Redcar’s seven riders to a last heat decider, where a 5-1 to the home pair of Lasse Bjerre and Matej Kus meant Scunthorpe went home empty handed.

The two top scorers for the Scorpions were reserves Nike Lunna (13+2) and Ben Wilson (9), and they received backing from Theo Pijper (8+1), Carl Wilkinson (6+1) and guest Thomas Jorgensen (5+1).

For Lunna, it represented the highest tally to date in a Scorpions’ race-jacket for the 18-year-old Finn.

In a meeting of fluctuating fortunes and interrupted at one point by a heavy downpour, the Scorpions hauled themselves back into contention several times. They led once – after a 5-1 from Wilson and Lunna in Heat 2.

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “We showed a lot of backbone at Redcar, and we played a major part in an entertaining meeting. Our riders put on a show, and credit to them for that. It was encouraging to see, after the performances at Workington and Newcastle over the weekend, which were much less impressive.

“To score 41 points after losing Alex Davies was a good performance. Although in a way, I’m disappointed to come so close to taking a point, without actually getting it.

“Alex hit the track hard with his head, so much so that he had to have his helmet confiscated. He seems to have escaped without any broken bones, but took a bump to his head, and has also hurt his shoulder.

“Nike Lunna just got stuck in and was rewarded with his points tally. There was a heavy downpour during the meeting, so the track was a bit inconsistent as a result, but Nike didn’t let it affect him and just carried on scoring points.

“Ben Wilson also put in some very good rides, although he’s still looking for that consistency, because at one point, he also ran a couple of lasts.

“The two reserves weighed in with over half our score, and they did much to keep us in the meeting.

“Theo (Pijper) went OK once he swapped bikes – the bike that didn’t work at all at Workington worked at Redcar. Wilko had a hit & miss night, while Thomas Jorgensen didn’t have the best of evenings, and shed a chain at the start of Heat 13.

“With seven of our own riders, I’m convinced we could have won. Four of our riders scored 36 points between them in this meeting.

“We’ve got our fingers crossed that Alex is OK, and he will be able to ride next Friday at home to Peterborough Panthers, when both Josh Auty and Ryan Douglas are hopefully back from injury, and we can track seven of our own riders for the first time since April 19.”

Scunthorpe have now replaced Redcar at the bottom of the Premier League table, and will be hoping their luck finally turns for the better when the Panthers are in town at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday, July 10 (7.30pm).

REDCAR BEARS 49
1. Lasse Bjerre 3 3 3 3 3 (15)
2. Jan Graversen 1 1 0 (2)
3. Matej Kus 3 3 0 3 2* (11+1)
4. Jonas B Andersen 2* 1 3 1 (7+1)
5. Stuart Robson 1 1 3 1 (6)
6. Ben Morley 0 0 FX (0)
7. Adam Roynon 1 3 2 1 1 R (8)

FLUIDAIR POWER SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS SUPPORTED BY HENDERSON INSURANCE 41
1. Thomas Jorgensen (Guest) 2 2 1* R (5+1)
2. Theo Pijper 0 0 2* 3 2 1 (8+1)
3. Ryan Douglas R/R
4. Carl Wilkinson 1 3 0 0 2* 0 (6+1)
5. Alex Davies FX (0)
6. Ben Wilson 3 0 0 2 2 2 (9)
7. Nike Lunna 2* 2 2 1 1* 2 3 (13+2)

1: Bjerre, Jorgensen, Graversen, Pijper (fell, remounted), 54.7 (4-2) (4-2).
2: Wilson, Lunna, Roynon, Morley, 56.7 (1-5) (5-7).
3: Kus, Andersen, Wilkinson, Wilson, 55.9 (5-1) (10-8).
4: Roynon, Lunna, Robson, Davies (fell, excluded), awarded – no time (4-2) (14-10).
5: Kus, Jorgensen, Andersen, Pijper, 54.6 (4-2) (18-12).
6: Bjerre, Lunna, Graversen, Wilson, 55.9 (4-2) (22-14).
7: Wilkinson, Pijper, Robson, Morley, 56.1 (1-5) (23-19).
8: Pijper, Roynon, Lunna, Graversen, 56.4 (2-4) (25-23).
9: Andersen, Wilson, Lunna, Kus, 56.1 (3-3) (28-26).
10: Bjerre, Lunna, Roynon, Wilkinson, 55.2 (4-2) (32-28).
11: (Re-run twice) Robson, Pijper, Jorgensen, Morley (fell, excluded), 56.4 (3-3) (35-31).
12: Kus, Wilson, Roynon, Wilkinson, 56.0 (4-2) (39-33).
13: Bjerre, Wilson, Robson, Jorgensen (ret), 55.0 (4-2) (43-35).
14: Lunna, Wilkinson, Andersen, Roynon (ret), 56.4 (1-5) (44-40).
15: Bjerre, Kus, Pijper, Wilkinson, 55.2 (5-1) (49-41).