Scorpions win classic encounter

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 47 GLASGOW TIGERS 43 (SGB CHAMPIONSHIP)

HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions won their first meeting of 2017, with a 47-43 victory over big-spending Glasgow Tigers in a classic encounter at the Eddie Wright Raceway yesterday evening (Sunday).

Scorpions flew into an early 9-3 lead, with Josh Bailey and Matt Williamson taking a 5-1 from Heat 2. But the scores ebbed and flowed, and Glasgow led by two points heading into the final three races.

Heat 13 will long be remembered. Aaron Summers was the early leader, but Josh Auty flew past him on the second lap. Ryan Douglas – who had suffered a debatable exclusion from Heat 10, when he fell after contact from Nike Lunna – then closed in Summers, and switched lines brilliantly to swoop inside his fellow Australian on the finishing line.

That 5-1 placed Scorpions two points in front, and that margin was maintained after skipper Michael Palm Toft completed a fine evening’s work with a victory in Heat 14.

Auty and Douglas held second and third in Heat 15, which would have been enough for Scorpions. But a charging Auty was unwilling to settle for second, and passed Richie Worrall with a great move on the final lap.

Ryan Douglas said: “It was a much-needed win. I feel some of our performances this year have been OK, but we just haven’t been able to get that first win, but now we have.

“For me, I didn’t have the best of nights, but I had a good couple of races at the end which helped the team get the win.

“I was surprised when I was excluded from Heat 10. Nike (Lunna) kept on coming and took me out. I guess the referee didn’t have the best view of that one.

“I got my bike set up a lot better at the end of the meeting. In Heat 13, I was just chipping away at Aaron Summers and I thought I’d have a good blast around the outside on the final corner. I could see he was moving wide to block me, so I turned the bike back as I hard as I could and went past the inside of him on the finishing line. I was really happy to get that one.

“It was also a good result for us to get the 4-2 from Heat 15 to win the meeting.

“There’s a buzz, now that we’ve won a meeting. Hopefully we can build on it and keep pushing on now.

“I’m glad I’m feeling a lot better now. I woke up on Thursday and felt terrible – I was being sick. On Friday, I didn’t feel any better and I realised I couldn’t do the meeting at Edinburgh.

“I guess I haven’t had much luck. I did my hand and missed most of the Australian season, so I haven’t had much time on the bike. Every race I feel a bit better and hopefully it won’t be long until I’m back to good form.”

HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 47
1. Ryan Douglas 1 2 FX 2* 1 (6+1)
2. Carl Wilkinson 3 1* 2 1 (7+1)
3. Lewis Kerr 0 R 2* 2 (4+1)
4. Michael Palm Toft 3 1 3 3 (10)
5. Josh Auty 3 2 3 3 3 (14)
6. Matt Williamson (Guest) 2* 0 FX (2+1)
7. Josh Bailey 3 0 0 1* 0 (4+1)

GLASGOW TIGERS 43
1. Aaron Summers 2 3 2 1 (8)
2. Dan Bewley 0 2* 3 1* 0 (6+2)
3. Richie Worrall 1* 3 3 3 2 (12+1)
4. Nike Lunna 2 1 2* 2 (7+1)
5. Richard Lawson 2 3 1 0 (6)
6. Tom Perry 1 0 1 0 1* (3+1)
7. Jack Smith 0 1* 0 TX (1+1)

1: Wilkinson, Summers, Douglas, Bewley, 58.31 (4-2) (4-2).
2 (Re-run) Bailey, Williamson, Perry, Smith, 59.00 (5-1) (9-3).
3: Palm Toft, Lunna, Worrall, Kerr, 58.05 (3-3) (12-6).
4: Auty, Lawson, Smith, Bailey, 58.06 (3-3) (15-9).
5: Summers, Bewley, Palm Toft, Kerr (ret), 57.25 (1-5) (16-14).
6: Lawson, Douglas, Wilkinson, Perry, 58.16 (3-3) (19-17).
7: Worrall, Auty, Lunna, Williamson, 58.13 (2-4) (21-21).
8: Bewley, Wilkinson, Perry, Bailey, 58.43 (2-4) (23-25).
9: Palm Toft, Kerr, Lawson, Smith, 58.12 (5-1) (28-26).
10 (Re-run): Worrall, Lunna, Wilkinson, Douglas (fell, excluded), 57.94 (1-5) (29-31).
11 (Re-run): Auty, Summers, Bewley, Williamson (fell, excluded), 58.13 (3-3) (32-34).
12: Worrall, Kerr, Bailey, Perry, 58.40 (3-3) (35-37).
13: Auty, Douglas, Summers, Lawson, 59.00 (5-1) (40-38).
14 (Re-run) Palm Toft, Lunna, Perry, Bailey, Smith (excluded, tape touching), 59.02 (3-3) (43-41).
15: Auty, Worrall, Douglas, Bewley, 57.37 (4-2) (47-43).

* WE’RE glad to report that Matt Williamson reported that he is largely OK despite his heavy tumble in Heat 11.