Stags go three clear with home win
SCUNTHORPE STAGS 19
BUXTON JUNIOR HITMEN 17
MIDLAND DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE, SUNDAY 10th JULY
The Stags just won this very closely fought contest which could have gone either way with both teams suffering misfortune in the last couple of heats.
The Stags provided the heat winners for the first 3 heats, opening up a 4 point lead, but then the Junior Hitmen pulled it back with a 5-1 from Ryan MacDonald and the rapidly improving Gavin Parr.
All square going into the last pair of heats, a quick pep-talk in the pits and out emerged ‘SUPER-DITCHY’ who shot out of gate 4 like a scolded cat and rocketed round turns 1 and 2 to lead down the back straight by a fair old distance. However Gavin Parr in second place took up the chase and gradually edged closer. Ditchy rode the perfect line for three laps but Parr was just a fraction faster and by the beginning of the last lap he was right on Ditchy’s back wheel. Parr made his move up the inside going into turn 1 of lap 4 but with Ditchy hugging the line immaculately Parr was forced to lock up to scrub off his speed. He ended up broadside, still just caught Ditchy’s back tyre, and went down. Ditchy continued on, now well ahead of his team-mate, William O’Keefe, looking at a comfortable 5-1. However, in a moments lack of concentration, probably not aware that Parr was no longer on his tail, Ditchy looked behind him going into turn 3, causing him to drift wider than he wanted to, and he was unable to avoid an introduction to the turn 4 air fence. The gasp of disbelief could be heard around the stadium. As Ditchy sat on the track within sight of the chequered flag, first his team-mate and then Sheldon Davies, passed him. Ditchy then had the presence of mind to pick himself up and push his bike the short distance to the line to give the Stags a 4-2 race result, and a slender 2-point lead going into the last Heat.
With an fascinating line-up, Heat 6, and the match, was in the balance. As the green light came on and the engines roared, tension got the better of Ryan MacDonald who lunged forward and took out the tapes.
The race was re-run with MacDonald going off the 15m handicap. Chris Hay gated first but Embleton drove under him into turn 1. Hay, not to be outdone, lunged ahead round turn 2 but then locked up slightly entering the back straight, which was all that Embleton needed and he forged ahead yet again and held the lead, despite Hays best efforts, to the finish. However, with Luke Whitehead riding faultlessly in third, the unlucky MacDonald was unable to claw back the handicap, and the Stags held on for the match win.
All eight riders should be congratulated for contributing to an exciting and entertaining meeting which was a wonderful advert for the Midland Development League.
With their 5th consecutive win the Stags have now opened up a 3 point lead at the top of MDL Group A, putting the pressure onto Buxton in second place who must take at least a win and a draw from the three matches they have in hand to overhaul us. With the Stags still to race two matches against the Junior Hitmen on their home shale at Buxton, its all boiling-up to a thrilling run-in to the Grand Final.
SCUNTHORPE STAGS 19
1. Chris Hay – 3,3,2, = 8
2. Lloyd Ditchburn – 0,1,1, = 2
3. Luke Whitehead – 1,0,1+1, = 2+1
4. William O’Keefe – 3,1,3, = 7
BUXTON JUNIOR HITMEN 17
1. Ryan MacDonald – 2,3,0, = 5
2. Gavin Parr – 1+1,2+1,F, = 3+2
3. Josh Embleton – 2,2,3, = 7
4. Sheldon Davies – F,0,2, = 2
Ht1. Hay, MacDonald, Parr, Ditchburn, 3-3 (3-3)
Ht2. O’Keefe, Embleton, Whitehead, Davies (F), 4-2 (7-5)
Ht3. Hay, Embleton, Ditchburn, Davies, 4-2 (11-7)
Ht4. MacDonald, Parr, O’Keefe, Whitehead, 1-5 (12-12)
Ht5. O’Keefe, Davies, Ditchburn (F/PH), Parr (F), 4-2 (16-14)
Ht6. Embleton, Hay, Whitehead, MacDonald (TX/15m) 3-3 (19-17)
