Scorpions out to shock big city neighbours

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions’ promoter Rob Godfrey insists that his team won’t be going to local rivals Sheffield tomorrow (Thursday, 7.30pm) simply to make up the numbers.

Scunthorpe put together a brilliant run of results against the Tigers between 2012 and 2014, and won five successive meetings at Sheffield’s Owlerton Stadium at one point.

Since then, the boot has been on the other foot, and Tigers have won the previous three encounters between the two teams in 2016, including two victories at the Eddie Wright Raceway.

“We’ll be aiming to get a result out of the meeting at Sheffield”, says Godfrey.

“It was such a satisfying result in the home meeting against Workington on Sunday. We were reduced to five men and still won comfortably. I do feel we’re more competitive than at any point during the season.

“Sheffield are a good team and currently in a play-off position, but so were Peterborough when we went there and won.

“We’d love to score one victory over the Tigers this season, and take the local bragging rights into the winter.”

With young reserve Josh Bailey ruled out with a broken collarbone, Scorpions bring in Birmingham’s Jack Smith, the talented son of former three-time British Champion Andy Smith, as a guest in the No.7 position.

Expected team for Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Josh Auty, 2. Michael Palm Toft, 3. Lewis Kerr, 4. Fritz Wallner, 5. Ryan Douglas, 6. Carl Wilkinson, 7. Jack Smith (guest).