Scorpions second best against Panthers
SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 36 PETERBOROUGH PANTHERS 57 (LEAGUE CUP)
A PAID 15 return from Australian star Ryan Douglas could not save Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions from a heavy home League Cup defeat to the Peterborough Panthers at the Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Sunday).
The visitors took control with an 8-point lead after four races and never looked back. A measure of their superiority was that the Scorpions did not register a heat winner until Douglas won his tactical ride in Heat 9, after fighting off a challenge for Peterborough’s star reserve, Tom Perry.
Both Scunthorpe reserves, new signing Ashley Morris (4+1) and Josh Bailey (1) put in a lot of effort, for very little reward.
Promoter Rob Godfrey and team manager Dave Peet apologised to home supporters from the centre green prior to Heat 15, although it remains to be seen if Scunthorpe were simply outgunned by a very strong and powerful Panthers side, which could possibly rack up many away victories during 2016.
Ryan Douglas, who has made a fine start to the season after missing most of 2015 thanks to several injuries, said: “The team seem to be struggling at the moment – I’m not entirely sure why it is. We’re just not all clicking at the moment and we need to work on it.
“I had a pretty good night, apart from the exclusion in Heat 13. It all got really tight on the first corner and Josh got pushed into my path and it took away my front wheel and I came down. I felt sure it was going to be all four back, but I got excluded.
“That was disappointing, but I moved on from that to win Heat 14 and had my best go in Heat 15, but couldn’t quite get there and came second.
“I’m really happy how things have gone for me in the opening six meetings. It’s been a good, consistent start, and I’ve been scoring points every meeting. But I feel there’s more to come from me this year. It’s a case of keep working away and trying to improve every time I come out.
“As for the team, I’m sure the boys will pick their game up, and we’ll be up there at the end of the year. Hopefully we’ve got all our problems out of the way ready for the league meetings.”
HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 36
1. Josh Auty 2 2 2 1 2 (9)
2. Carl Wilkinson TX 0 1* 0 (1+1)
3. Alex Davies 0 2 0 2 3 0 (7)
4. Ryan Douglas 2 1* 6# FX 3 2 (14+1)
5. Zdenek Holub R/R
6. Ashley Morris 1* 2 1 0 0 0 (4+1)
7. Josh Bailey 0 1 0 0 (1)
PETERBOROUGH PANTHERS 57
1. Ulrich Ostergaard 3 3 3 1 (10)
2. Simon Lambert 0 0 3 1 (4)
3. Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen 3 3 3 MX 1 (10)
4. Michael Palm Toft 1 1 2* 2 (6+1)
5. Nicklas Porsing 3 3 1* 3 3 (13+1)
6. Emil Grondal 1 F MX 1* (2+1)
7. Tom Perry 3 2* 2* 2 2 1* (12+3)
# = tactical ride
1: (Re-run): Ostergaard, Auty, Morris, Lambert, 58.25 (3-3) (3-3).
2: Perry, Morris, Grondal, Bailey, 58.38 (2-4) (5-7).
3: Busk Jakobsen, Douglas, Palm Toft, Davies, 58.06 (2-4) (7-11).
4: Porsing, Perry, Bailey, Wilkinson, 58.81 (1-5) (8-16).
5: Ostergaard, Davies, Douglas, Lambert, 58.56 (3-3) (11-19).
6: Porsing, Auty, Wilkinson, Grondal (fell), 58.31 (3-3) (14-22).
7: Busk Jakobsen, Auty, Palm Toft, Bailey, 59.19 (2-4) (16-26).
8: Lambert, Perry, Morris, Wilkinson, 59.19 (1-5) (17-31).
9: (Re-run) DOUGLAS (TR), Perry, Porsing, Davies, Grondal (excluded, two minutes), 58.09 (6-3) (23-34).
10: Busk Jakobsen, Palm Toft, Auty, Morris, 58.81 (1-5) (24-39).
11: Ostergaard, Davies, Lambert, Morris, 59.06 (2-4) (26-43).
12: (Re-run) Davies, Perry, Grondal, Bailey, Jakobsen (excluded, two minutes), 59.11 (3-3) (29-46).
13: (Re-run) Porsing, Auty, Ostergaard, Douglas (fell, excluded), 58.94 (2-4) (31-50).
14: Douglas, Palm Toft, Perry, Morris, 58.28 (3-3) (34-53)
15: Porsing, Douglas, Busk Jakobsen, Davies, 59.35 (2-4) (36-57).
PHOTO: Rare moment of cheer for the Scorpions’ fans, as tactical ride Ryan Douglas heads Tom Perry in Heat 9.
