Stags draw at Belle Vue (report from May 13)

BELLE VUE COLTS 18
SCUNTHORPE STAGS 18
MIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE

A fantastic team effort earned the Scunthorpe Stags their first Midland Development League point of the season with an away draw at Belle Vue on their first visit to the National Speedway Stadium, and it might have been even more but for Chris Hay losing his steel shoe in Heat 1 which saw him slip back from third to last place. The Colts were able to build up a six-point lead after three heats but the Stags clawed their way back with a 5-1 and a 4-2, bringing the scores level going into the last heat. A 3-3 in the final race was probably the fairest result with both teams contributing to a very entertaining match.

The Stags were led by Jack Parkinson-Blackburn who scored a faultless 3-ride maximum, having already taken four rides in the preceding NL match. Chris Hay was unbeaten in his last two rides after his misfortune in Heat 1, whilst Sam Chapman scored in each of his races racking-up 4 valuable and hard-earned points. Lloyd Ditchburn, whilst not managing to score, put in probably his most impressive performance so far with three solid rides on an unfamiliar track which would undoubtably have earned him points against lesser opposition.

For the Colts, Joe Lawlor, only dropped points to Jack Parkinson-Blackburn, and was well supported by his team mates, Sam Woolley and Niall Strudwick, with Sam Wright also chipping in one vital point.

With all riders completing every race, this was a great advert for the MDL and once again showed that the future is bright for British speedway.

BELLE VUE COLTS 18
1. Joe Lawlor – 2,3,2, = 7
2. Sam Woolley – 1+1,2+1,2, = 5+2
3. Niall Strudwick – 3,1,1+1, = 5=1
4. Sam Wright – 1,0,0, = 1

SCUNTHORPE STAGS 18
1. Jack Parkinson-Blackburn – 3,3,3, = 9 (MAX)
2. Chris Hay – 0,2+1,3, = 5+1
3. Lloyd Ditchburn – 0,0,0, = 0
4. Sam Chapman – 2,1,1, = 4

Ht.1 – Parkinson-Blackburn, Lawlor, Woolley, Hay. 3-3 (3-3) 65.6
Ht.2 – Strudwick, Chapman, Wright, Ditchburn. 4-2 (7-5) 68.7
Ht.3 – Lawlor, Woolley, Chapman, Ditchburn. 5-1 (12-6) 67.1
Ht.4 – Parkinson-Blackburn, Hay, Strudwick, Wright. 1-5 (13-11) 65.4
Ht.5 – Hay, Woolley, Chapman, Wright. 2-4 (15-15) 70.5
Ht.6 – Parkinson-Blackburn, Lawlor, Strudwick, Ditchburn. 3-3 (18-18) 65.5