Classic on the cards at Eddie Wright Raceway

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are out to inflict the first Premier League defeat of the season on league leaders Somerset Rebels at the Eddie Wright Raceway this evening (Sunday, 6.30pm).

Rebels have won 12 out of 12 PL meetings, including four on their travels. Scorpions currently sit bottom of the Premier League table, but believe they can cause an upset.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey says: “We’ve already ripped up the formbook a couple of times in recent weeks, beating Glasgow at home and Peterborough away, and we’ll be looking to do that again.

“Somerset are going to be tough nuts to crack, but they have to lose at some point. The Rebels have won their first 12 league meetings, so we’ll be out to make their 13th league outing an unlucky one.”

There are a number of sub-plots behind what could be one of the meetings of the year.

New Scorpions’ signing Austrian Fritz Wallner makes his debut for the club, in place of the injured Alex Davies.

Meanwhile, controversial Australian Rohan Tungate makes his first return to the Eddie Wright Raceway since his infamous post-race clash with Scorpions’ No 1 Josh Auty (pictured) just over a year ago in a Scunthorpe v Ipswich meeting, which left Auty with a broken hand.

“It’s going to be a total cracker”, adds Godfrey.

“It’s always a hotly-contested meeting between us and Somerset. The atmosphere will be electric, because a lot of our fans will focus on the return of Rohan Tungate to the Eddie Wright Raceway, although we need to be careful that it doesn’t turn into too much of a grudge match.

“It’s up to Josh to put it behind him by leaving Rohan Tungate trailing in his wake and showing what would have happened in those races last season which Josh had to miss.”

With the new Green Sheet averages kicking in, Auty will move back to the No 1 spot for Scorpions, while Carl Wilkinson replaces Michael Palm Toft at reserve. Fritz Wallner comes in at No 4.

There are 24 heats of action in total, with a nine-race second half including a six-heat Northern Junior League match between Halifax and Northside.

Admission prices for this evening:

Adult: £15.00
Student/OAP: £13.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
Family Ticket £35 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17)
Match Programme: £1.00

Expected teams for this evening:

Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. Michael Palm Toft, 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Fritz Wallner, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Carl Wilkinson, 7. Josh Bailey.

Somerset Rebels: 1. Josh Grajczonek, 2. Jake Allen, 3. Charles Wright, 4. Paul Starke, 5. Rohan Tungate, 6. Bradley Wilson-Dean, 7. Rob Shuttleworth (guest).

 Northern Junior League teams:
Halifax Dukes: 1. Joe Lawlor, 2. Sheldon Davies, 3. Jordan Palin, 4. Luke Harrison.
Northside Stars:  1. James Hitchen, 2. Luke McKenna, 3. Corban Pavitt, 4. Gregor Millar.