Stunning Scorpions defeat league leaders

 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 51 GLASGOW TIGERS 39 (PREMIER LEAGUE)

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions pulled off a stunning 51-39 victory over league leaders Glasgow Tigers at the Eddie Wright Raceway yesterday afternoon (Sunday).

Skipper Josh Auty picked up a brilliant full 15-point maximum for the second successive week, as the Scorpions produced a grandstand finish to stun the big-spending Tigers.

Glasgow moved ahead with a 5-1 in Heat 3, but Scorpions levelled with a 5-1 from Auty and Michael Palm Toft in Heat 7. Trump card reserve Palm Toft was involved in another 5-1 in Heat 8, this time alongside Carl Wilkinson, as the Scorpions moved 26-22 ahead.

Alex Davies lifted on the second bend of Heat 9, and clattered into team-mate Lewis Kerr, as both came down in a tangle of man and machinery. Davies was ruled out of the rest of the meeting, and went off to hospital to have injuries to his lower back checked over.

Kerr, left without any machinery after the mutual ending of a deal with a sponsor, competed yesterday on machinery borrowed from Andreas Lyager, the Dane who was recently forced to return back home to complete an apprenticeship.

Kerr exploded into life in the re-run of Heat 9 to race to a convincing victory, leaving Aaron Summers and Arthur Sissis in his wake.

Scorpions stretched their lead to six points, after Auty and Palm Toft took a 4-2 in Heat 11, with Auty sweeping under the previously unbeaten Richard Lawson after two laps.

Heat 12 saw Tigers hit back with a 5-1 from Richie Worrall and Sissis. Josh Bailey fell early in the race, and Palm Toft seemed to be struggling for pace and was pipped on the line by Sissis.

Heat 13 was simply sensational. Ryan Douglas was first to show, before Summers burst into the lead on the third bend. Douglas moved straight back around him on the fourth bend. Meanwhile, Auty built up his speed, and moved from fourth to first during an outstanding second lap, flying around both Lawson & Summers down the back straight, to join Douglas for a 5-1.

The Scorpions secured victory with a further 5-1 in Heat 14, with Kerr storming to a second successive win, while Palm Toft thundered inside Rene Bach after a lap to move into second place.

Auty completed his full house in Heat 15, while Douglas was involved in a ding-dong battle with the Glasgow pair, which ended with Worrall in second, Douglas in third and a beaten Lawson pulling up on the final bend.

After the conclusion of the final race, there was a show of emotion as Auty headed across the centre green to give Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey a manly hug.

Maximum man Auty was well-supported by Palm Toft (11+3), Douglas (8+2), Kerr (8+1) and Wilkinson (7+2). The unfortunate Davies had scored a couple of points when he crashed out of the meeting, while Bailey put in plenty of effort for no reward.

A jubilant Josh Auty said: “It just seems to have clicked for us. I think this is an even better result for us than the victory over Ipswich last weekend, because Glasgow are super-strong and are currently top of the league for a reason.

“If we can continue winning, who knows what can happen? We’re just trying to do our best; it was another tremendous performance from the boys.

“I’ve been working hard all season, but sometimes you just don’t get your rewards. I was working harder in the tough times than I’m working now. I’ve suffered a lot this season, so it’s nice to go out and take the victories.

“We were working so hard when things weren’t working out for me earlier in the year. I’m always looking to improve myself and I’m pleased that I’m now riding to my capabilities. I’m very pleased to get another 15-point maximum, while another team victory, especially against Glasgow, is just superb.”

Auty is loved by the Scunthorpe fans for his heroics from behind, but admits: “I would prefer to make five starts and do it the easy way. But it’s nice to know that I’ve got the speed which is what we’ve been striving for. I felt I didn’t really have the speed earlier in the year, and somehow I’ve now found it again, so that I can make the moves to pass riders when I need to.

“It’s great that we seem to be finding some form as we head into a busier period. It’s a real shame that we’ve lost Alex (Davies) through injury, because he could have done a job (in Monday’s cup clash) at Newcastle.

“We know Newcastle is going to be tough. We’ve proven we can beat anyone around Scunthorpe – now the challenge for the whole team, including myself, is whether we can put together that level of performance away from home.

“If we can, there’s no reason why we can’t come from Newcastle with the result that we need.

“We were so close at Redcar last Thursday. There were just a few little errors that cost us, and it was a shame, because we deserved more from that meeting. But that’s history; we’ll re-group and go again at Newcastle.”

HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 51
1. Ryan Douglas 1* 2 2 2* 1 (8+2)
2. Carl Wilkinson 2 1* 3 1* (7+2)
3. Alex Davies 0 2 FX (2)
4. Lewis Kerr 1 1* 3 3 (8+1)
5. Josh Auty 3 3 3 3 3 (15) FULL MAXIMUM
6. Michael Palm Toft 3 2* 2* 1 1 2* (11+3)
7. Josh Bailey 0 0 F (0)

GLASGOW TIGERS 39
1. Richard Lawson 3 3 2 0 R (8)
2. Coty Garcia 0 0 0 (0)
3. Richie Worrall 2* 0 3 3 2 (10+1)
4. Rene Bach 3 1 0 R (4)
5. Aaron Summers 2 3 2 1 (8)
6. Arthur Sissis (Guest) 1* 0 1* 2* 1 (5+3)
7. Danny Ayres 2 1* 1 FX (4+1)

1: Lawson, Wilkinson, Douglas, Garcia, 58.06 (3-3) (6-6).
2: Palm Toft, Ayres, Sissis, Bailey, 57.82 (3-3) (6-6).
3: Bach, Worrall, Kerr, Davies, 58.19 (1-5) (7-11).
4: Auty, Summers, Ayres, Bailey, 57.12 (3-3) (10-14).
5: Lawson, Davies, Kerr, Garcia, 57.75 (3-3) (13-17).
6: Summers, Douglas, Wilkinson, Sissis, 57.56 (3-3) (16-20).
7: (Re-run) Auty, Palm Toft, Bach, Worrall (penalised 15m for tape touching), 57.13 (5-1) (21-21).
8: Wilkinson, Palm Toft, Ayres, Garcia, 57.88 (5-1) (26-22).
9: (Re-Run) Kerr, Summers, Sissis, Davies (fell, excluded), 57.75 (3-3) (29-25).
10: Worrall, Douglas, Wilkinson, Bach, 57.94 (3-3) (32-28).
11: Auty, Lawson, Palm Toft, Ayres (fell, excluded), awarded – no time (4-2) (36-30).
12: Worrall, Sissis, Palm Toft, Bailey (fell), 58.56 (1-5) (37-35).
13: Auty, Douglas, Summers, Lawson, 59.31 (5-1) (42-36).
14: Kerr, Palm Toft, Sissis, Bach (ret), 58.88 (5-1) (47-37).
15: (Re-Run) Auty, Worrall, Douglas, Lawson (ret), 59.06 (4-2) (51-39).

* HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions travel to Newcastle tonight (Monday) in cup action, with the Scorpions defending a 50-40 advantage from the first leg. Scorpions are set to use rider replacement for the injured Alex Davies.

* PHOTO: Mr Maximum Josh Auty moves inside Richard Lawson to take the lead in Heat 11.