Bank Holiday Double-Header preview

SCORPIONS UP FOR THE CUP IN BANK HOLIDAY FEAST

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions turn their attention to the Premier League Knockout Cup at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm), entertaining the Newcastle Diamonds in the first leg of the first round of the competition.

There are 36 heats of speedway action on offer in total on Monday, with a 21-race second half consisting of youngsters from the 500cc and 150cc classes doing battle in the second round of the British Youth Championship.

The Bank Holiday weekend bonanza of action completes a weekend that also sees the Scorpions travel to Berwick in Premier League action on Saturday evening.

The Scorpions are due to welcome Czech international Zdenek Holub back to their ranks this weekend. He has been missing through injury since sustaining a shoulder injury at Peterborough on April 1.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “It was a relief to register our first home victory of the season over Plymouth last Sunday, and we need to push on from there.

“We’ve been drawn against Newcastle in the KO Cup for the second year running. They’re a strong team, no doubt about that, so it’s a tough draw and we’re going to need everyone on the gas, if we’re to have a chance of getting through to the second round.”

The Scorpions twice won the Conference League (third tier) KO Cup in 2006 and 2007, with current Scorpions’ skipper Josh Auty part of the line-up, but success has eluded the club in the competition at Premier League level.

Godfrey added: “It’s going to be a packed and enjoyable afternoon of speedway, and I hope the crowd will stick around to watch the cream of Britain’s youngsters in the British Youth Championship at 500cc and 150cc level.”

Bank Holiday Monday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 21 extra heats of action. A full and exciting afternoon of racing is ahead. DON’T MISS IT!

Admission prices for Bank Holiday Monday:

Adult: £17.00
Student/OAP: £15.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17)
Match Programme: £1.00

Expected teams for Bank Holiday Monday:

Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. Carl Wilkinson, 3. Alex Davies, 4. Zdenek Holub, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Ashley Morris, 7. Josh Bailey.

Newcastle Diamonds (to be confirmed): 1. Robert Lambert, 2.  Viktor Palovaara, 3. Matej Kus, 4. Ludvig Lindgren, 5. Steve Worrall, 6. Lewis Rose, 7. Danny Phillips.

British Youth Championship second round:
500cc class: Carl Basford, Tom Brennan, Sam Woolley, Kyle Bickley, Luke Woodhull, Ben Woodhull, Kean Dicken, Sam Bebee, Jordan Jenkins, Lewis Whitmore, Alex Spooner, James Hitchen, Sam Chapman, Taylor Hampshire.
150cc class: James Laker, Kieron McCoy, Nathan Ablitt, Mason O’Rourke, Jamie Bursill.

Newcastle Diamonds at EWR

Other Notes

Matej Kus
Has ridden in 4 Speedway Grand Prix and 7 World Cup Events.
2010 Czech Republic Champion.
Twice Czech Republic Under-21 Champion (2008 and 2009).
2008 Czech Republic Under-19 Champion.

Robert Lambert
Has ridden in 1 Speedway Grand Prix and 2 World Cup Events.
Rides as a ‘doubling-up’ rider with King’s Lynn in the 2016 Elite League.

Ludvig Lindgren
Member of Wolverhampton’s Elite Shield Winning Teams in 2010 and 2011.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier League KO Cup Winning Team in 2012.
Member of Newcastle’s League Cup and Premier Shield Winning Teams in 2013.

Daniel Phillips
Former Scunthorpe Saint.
Riding in his debut Premier League season.
2013 Northern Junior League Riders’ Champion.
Member of Cradley’s National League Championship, KO Cup and NL Shield Winning Teams in 2014.

Lewis Rose
Riding his third season in the Premier League with Newcastle.
A Fast-Track Reserve with King’s Lynn for the 2016 Elite League season.

Steve Worrall
Former Scunthorpe Scorpion and Saint.
Member of the Saints’ National League Winning Team in 2011.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier Shield Winning Team in 2013.
Member of Edinburgh’s Premier League Championship, KO Cup and League Cup Winning Teams in 2014.
Member of Cradley’s National League Championship, KO Cup, NL Shield and NL Fours Winning Teams in 2014.

Newcastle Diamonds’ Record at EWR

Meetings Ridden: 16

Won: 0
Drawn: 0
Lost: 16

Biggest Win: No wins to date
Heaviest Defeat: 65 – 25 (8 May 2009)

Last Visit: 54 – 38 (L – 7 August 2015)