MDL Scunthorpe Stags at the double!

LONG EATON INVADERS 17
SCUNTHORPE STAGS 19
MIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE, 21st MAY 2016

The Stags won their first MDL match of the year in a thrilling encounter with Long Eaton at Leicester stadium tonight. The Invaders can count themselves a little unlucky with Bradley Andrews suffering an engine failure in the final heat when a draw looked to be on the cards but a solid all-round team performance from the Stags put them in a position to take advantage of their opponents misfortune.

The Stags took the lead in Heat 1 with Jack recording the first of his three impeccable wins, and Ditchy taking a valuable third place. The Invaders hit straight back with a 4-2 of their own in the next race which saw Kyle Roberts away at the front untroubled. Behind it was a different matter with a four-lap battle between Luke, Sam and Stephen Whitehouse for second place. Whitehouse gated in second place with Luke and Sam snapping at his heels for three laps. On Lap 4 Luke blast round the outside of the first turn and looked to have secured second place until he again grabbed a handful of throttle in turn three, drifted wide and slammed into the air-fence of turn four. To everyone’s amazement, not only did he manage to stay on his bike, but he also just held on to his second place by a whisker at the finish line.

The next three races finished 3-3, including a very impressive win by Sam in Heat 5, leaving the score at 15-15 going into the final heat. Jack again gated in front, followed by the very impressive Kyle Roberts. Luke gated third but was passed by Bradley Andrews on lap 2, which would have been enough to earn the Invaders the draw. However Luke kept the pressure on and when Andrews’ bike began to lose power he was through to take the match-winning third place.

LONG EATON INVADERS 17
1. Bradley Andrews – 2,3,R, = 5
2. Craig Osborne – 0,0,2, = 2
3. Kyle Roberts – 3,2,2, = 7
4. Stephen Whitehouse – 1,1+1,1+1, = 3+2

SCUNTHORPE STAGS 19
1. Jack Parkinson-Blackburn – 3,3,3, = 9 (MAX)
2. Lloyd Ditchburn – 1,0,0, = 1
3. Luke Whitehead – 2,2,1, = 5
4. Sam Chapman – 0,1,3, = 4

Ht1 – Parkinson-Blackburn, Andrews, Ditchburn, Osborne, 2-4 (2-4)
Ht2 – Roberts, Whitehead, Whitehouse, Chapman, 4-2 (6-6)
Ht3 – Andrews, Whitehead, Chapman, Osborne, 3-3 (9-9)
Ht4 – Parkinson-Blackburn, Roberts, Whitehouse, Ditchburn, 3-3 (12-12)
Ht5 – Chapman, Osborne, Whitehouse, Ditchburn, 3-3 (15-15)
Ht6 – Parkinson-Blackburn, Roberts, Whitehead, Andrews(R), 4-2 (17-19)

SCUNTHORPE STAGS 20
BELLE VUE COLTS 16
MIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE 22/5/16

The Scunthorpe Stags won their second MDL match in as many days when they overcame a spirited Belle Vue Colts team in another last-heat decider, this time in front of their home crowd at the Eddie Wright Raceway. Things didn’t start well for the Stags though. Luke Whitehead suffered engine problems in the pits before the start of the meeting and was unable to take any part, his rides being shared out amongst his team mates.

Ryan Burton was a star guest for the Stags, with a four-ride maximum, although he had to battle in each of his races to keep ahead of either Woods or Rothery, both of who pushed him all the way. Ryan won the opening heat, and with Ditchy taking third after Ollie Rutter fell, the Stags took a two point advantage which they held on to until a Colts 4-2 in Heat 5 levelled the score going into the final heat.

And what a cracker Heat 6 turned out to be. Ryan gated with Sam Woods in hot pursuit. Behind them Sam, who had completely missed the gate, was chasing down Stephen Whitehouse in third. It was a classic ‘two races in one’ situation for three and a half laps with Sam Woods all over Ryan up front and Sam Chapman giving it everything to try and make the pass for third. Then on the back straight of the last lap, with Ryan defending the inside line, Sam Woods was unfortunate to just clip his back wheel very slightly but enough to cause Sam to slide off. At the same moment Sam Chapman finally found a way past Whitehouse, which, as they both then passed the stricken Woods, gave him second place and a match winning 5-1 for the Stags. A thrilling end to a very entertaining match which really could have gone either way.

SCUNTHORPE STAGS 20
1. Ryan Burton – 3,3,3,3, = 12
2. Lloyd Ditchburn – 1,0,1+1,0, = 2+1
3. Luke Whitehead – (N/S)
4. Sam Chapman – 0,2,2,2+1, = 6+1

BELLE VUE COLTS 16
1. Sam Woods – 2,3,F, = 5
2. Ollie Rutter – F,0,1, = 1
3. Stephen Whitehouse – 1+1,1+1,1, = 3+2
4. George Rothery – 2,2,3, = 7

Ht1 – Burton, Woods, Ditchburn, Rutter(F), 4-2 (4-2) Awarded
Ht2. – Burton, Rothery, Whitehouse, Chapman, 3-3 (7-5)
Ht3. – Burton, Rothery, Whitehouse, Ditchburn, 3-3 (10-8) 61.06
Ht4. – Woods, Chapman, Ditchburn, Rutter, 3-3 (13-11) 62.00
Ht5. – Rothery, Chapman, Rutter, Ditchburn, 2-4 (15-15) 61.06
Ht6. – Burton, Chapman, Whitehouse, Woods(F), 5-1 (20-16)