Scorpions start league fixtures with victory

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 50 PLYMOUTH DEVILS 43 (PREMIER LEAGUE)

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions commenced their 2016 Premier League fixtures with a 50-43 victory over the Plymouth Devils at the Eddie Wright Raceway yesterday evening (Sunday).

The Scorpions took control with two 5-1s in the opening two races, and remained in charge, with the closest the Devils got to the home side being 40-35 after 12 races.

It was a complete team performance from Scorpions, led by a fine 16 point tally (including five wins) from skipper Josh Auty, while a rejuvenated Carl Wilkinson was unbeaten in his opening five outings, before suffering an engine failure on the start line in Heat 15.

Teenager Josh Bailey won his first-ever race in Scorpions’ colours in Heat 2, where he took a 5-1 alongside Ashley Morris, and Bailey also combined with Ryan Douglas in Heat 14 for the 3-3 that secured victory for the home side.

Alex Davies touched the tapes during an eventful Heat 11 (which saw Morris crash into the air fence at the first attempt), but produced a storming ride off a 15m handicap in the re-run to overhaul Sam Simota for second place and prevent Devils from taking an 8-1, as Charlie Gjedde won that race as a tactical ride.

Auty completed a fine night’s work by winning Heat 15 ahead of Jack Holder & Kyle Newman to ensure that Plymouth went back to Devon with no points for their efforts, although the Devils played their part in what was a highly entertaining meeting for spectators.

Scorpions’ skipper Josh Auty said: “I put in a good personal performance, but the main objective was for the team to come from this meeting with maximum points.

“It was vitally important that we started our Premier League meetings with a win and we achieved that.

“The league is the holy grail for us. We managed to win it in 2012, and we’re trying to replicate that this year. I’m really pleased to start with a win and hopefully we can carry on the good work.

“Obviously Wilko (Carl Wilkinson) had a very good meeting, but collectively we had a good meeting as a team.

“In my opinion, Josh Bailey has a got a good future in the sport, and he’s riding really well. He’s nice and tidy on the bike. He just needed someone in his corner to give him a little bit of advice, so it’s good that David (Howe) has come on board as coach to help him.

“I think we’ve got a little gem with Josh, and it’s not going to go long before his points tally reflects his efforts. He’s already scoring some important points.

“It was a complete team performance today. All the riders put in 100%, and when you do that, the supporters and management can’t ask for more. I’m happy for the whole team that we’ve started with a win”.

HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 50
1. Josh Auty 3 1 3 3 3 3 (16)
2. Carl Wilkinson 2* 3 3 3 2* R (13+2)
3. Alex Davies 0 2 0 2 2 (6)
4. Ryan Douglas 2 1* 2 1 2 (8+1)
5. Zdenek Holub R/R
6. Ashley Morris 2* 0 FX (2)
7. Josh Bailey 3 0 1 0 1* (5+1)

PLYMOUTH DEVILS 43
1. Charlie Gjedde 1 3 6# 0 (10)
2. Sam Simota MX 0 2 1 (3)
3. Jack Holder 1 1* 1 3 2 (8+1)
4. Todd Kurtz 3 2 0 0 (5)
5. Kyle Newman 1* 2 1 2 1* (7+2)
6. Stefan Nielsen 1 0 3 1 3 (8)
7. Ellis Perks 0 0 2 0 (2)

# = tactical ride

1: (Re-run) Auty, Wilkinson, Gjedde, Perks, Simota (excluded, two minutes), 56.37 (5-1) (5-1).
2: Bailey, Morris, Nielsen, Perks, 58.25 (5-1) (10-2).
3: Kurtz, Douglas, Holder, Davies, 58.00 (2-4) (12-6).
4: Wilkinson, Perks, Newman, Bailey, 57.87 (3-3) (15-9).
5: Gjedde, Davies, Douglas, Simota, 58.07 (3-3) (18-12).
6: (Re-run) Wilkinson, Newman, Auty, Nielsen, 58.13 (4-2) (22-14).
7: Auty, Kurtz, Holder, Morris, 57.88 (3-3) (25-17).
8: Wilkinson, Simota, Bailey, Perks, 58.06 (4-2) (29-19).
9: Nielsen, Douglas, Newman, Davies, 58.69 (2-4) (31-23).
10: Auty, Wilkinson, Holder, Kurtz, 58.01 (5-1) (36-24).
11: (Re-run twice) GJEDDE (TR), Davies (penalised 15m for touching tapes), Simota, Morris (fell, excluded), 58.81 (2-7) (38-31).
12: Holder, Davies, Nielsen, Bailey, 58.50 (2-4) (40-35).
13: Auty, Newman, Douglas, Gjedde, 58.02 (4-2) (44-37).
14: Nielsen, Douglas, Bailey, Kurtz, 58.44 (3-3) (47-40).
15: Auty, Holder, Newman, Wilkinson (ret), 57.94 (3-3) (50-43).

PHOTO: Josh Auty leads Kyle Newman in Heat 13.