Excellent effort at Armadale

EDINBURGH MONARCHS 49 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 40 (PREMIER LEAGUE)

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions returned empty handed from Scotland after a 40-49 defeat at Edinburgh’s Armadale stadium last night (Friday), but came away from the home of the reigning Premier League champions with great credit.

Scorpions were gifted a 5-0 in Heat 1, after Edinburgh failed to provide a finisher – somewhat ironically after Scunthorpe had lost 44-45 at home to Edinburgh last Sunday after conceding a last-heat 5-0.

Scunthorpe then hit a purple patch between Heats 6 to 8, registering two 4-2s and a 5-1 to move into a 27-20 lead, as Michael Palm Toft again proved to be a trump card at reserve for Scorpions.

Proving to be very lively visitors, Scorpions were still leading 37-34 with three heats remaining, only for Edinburgh to score three 5-1s in the final three races.

Palm Toft was again the star turn for Scunthorpe with 14+1 from seven rides, while Matthew Wethers was an excellent guest with a 9+1 tally which could have been higher but for a dubious exclusion from Heat 15.

Carl Wilkinson scored 8+1 before suffering a heavy fall in Heat 14. The good news is that Wilko got up to bow to the crowd!

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “Had things gone a little differently, we could definitely have got at least a point, if not more, from this meeting.

“There were a number of very close finishes which went against us – those down in the pits had to correct their programme more than once.

“Ryan Douglas was leading Heat 5, but he ended up excluded from that one. Meanwhile, although it happened at the other end of the stadium, it looked very much like Matthew Wethers was skittled in Heat 15. Sam Masters certainly ran him in very hard, and many referees would have excluded him for that.

“On the other hand, we did get a gift of a 5-0 in Heat 1.

“Michael Palm Toft had another great meeting. He’s riding with confidence and he’s scoring everywhere – on big tracks and on small tracks.

“We’ve proved over the last few weeks that we can now go anywhere and be competitive. There will be a lot of teams who won’t score 40 points at Edinburgh this season.

“I think Wilko (Carl Wilkinson) may wake up tomorrow with a stiff shoulder, but I think he’ll be OK for the Fours at Peterborough. We’ll go to Peterborough with a positive frame of mind, because we know we can perform around there.”

EDINBURGH MONARCHS 49
1. Sam Masters R 2 3 2* 3 (10+1)
2. Mark Riss FX 0 1 (1)
3. Erik Riss 3 1 3 3 (10)
4. Ryan Fisher 1 3 2* 3 (9+1)
5. Kevin Wolbert 3 2 3 3 2* (13+1)
6. Max Clegg 2 0 0 FX 2* (4+1)
7. Dan Bewley 1* 1 R 0 (2+1)

HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 40
1. Ryan Douglas 2* X 1* 0 (3+2)
2. Matthew Wethers (Guest) 3 0 2 2* 2 FX (9+1)
3. Lewis Kerr R/R
4. Carl Wilkinson 2 3 1* 2 FX (8+1)
5. Josh Auty 2 1 1 1 1 (6)
6. Michael Palm-Toft 3 3 3 2 1* 1 1 (14+1)
7. Josh Bailey 0 0 0 (0)

1: (Re-run) Wethers, Douglas, M Riss (fell, excluded), Masters (ret), awarded – no time (0-5) (0-5).
2: Palm Toft, Clegg, Bewley, Bailey, 56.7 (3-3) (3-8).
3: E Riss, Wilkinson, Fisher, Wethers, 56.0 (4-2) (7-10).
4: Wolbert, Auty, Bewley, Bailey, 55.5 (4-2) (11-12).
5: (Re-run) Fisher, Wethers, E Riss, Douglas (excluded), 56.5 (4-2) (15-14).
6: Palm Toft, Masters, Auty, M Riss, 57.2 (2-4) (17-18).
7: Wilkinson, Wolbert, Auty, Clegg, 57.5 (2-4) (19-22).
8: Palm Toft, Wethers, M Riss, Bewley (ret), 57.2 (1-5) (20-27).
9: E Riss, Fisher, Auty, Bailey, 56.8 (5-1) (25-28).
10: Masters, Palm Toft, Wilkinson, Clegg, 56.5 (3-3) (28-31).
11: (Re-run) Wolbert, Wethers, Douglas, Clegg (fell, excluded), 56.8 (3-3) (31-34).
12: E Riss, Wilkinson, Palm Toft, Bewley, 57.3 (3-3) (34-37).
13: Wolbert, Masters, Auty, Douglas, 56.4 (5-1) (39-38).
14: (Re-run) Fisher, Clegg, Palm Toft, Wilkinson (fell, excluded), 57.6 (5-1) (44-39).
15: (Re-run) Masters, Wolbert, Palm Toft, Wethers (fell, excluded), 57.3 (5-1) (49-40).

* SCUNTHORPE lost their appeal regarding last Sunday’s home meeting against Edinburgh Monarchs. Scorpions had protested over the highly controversial use of Mitchell Davey at No 7 by the Monarchs. But the Speedway Control Bureau upheld the result of Scunthorpe Scorpions 44 Edinburgh Monarchs 45.