Brilliant MPT inspires Scorpions to precious point

WORKINGTON COMETS 48 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 45 (SGB CHAMPIONSHIP)

A STUNNING 17-point return from skipper Michael Palm Toft helped Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions to a precious SGB Championship point at Workington’s Derwent Park last night (Saturday). Scorpions went down narrowly by 45-48, on a track where highly-rated Sheffield had lost 37-54 the previous week.

Danish star Palm Toft was in inspired form for Scorpions, picking up a number of his points from the back.

In Heat 7, with Scorpions ten points in arrears at 13-23, Palm Toft was nominated as a tactical ride, and was initially last. But he swept past the Workington pair of Thomas Jorgensen and Matt Williamson, before team-mate Lewis Kerr allowed him though on the final lap to ensure the maximum 8-1.

Even better was to follow from Palm Toft in Heat 10. Very few riders will lower the colours of Great Britain World Cup star Craig Cook around Derwent Park this season, but Palm Toft did it… with a superlative burst of speed from behind.

Scorpions entered Heat 15 three points in arrears. Cook set the pace up front, with Palm Toft and Kerr in the minor positions. Fourth-placed Ty Proctor fell on the third lap, looking for a sweep around the outside. With the race awarded as a 3-3, it ensured victory for Comets, but a point for Scorpions.

However, while Palm Toft was the star turn, it was far from a one-man show for Scorpions. The top five registered only two last places between them all night, while guest reserves Mitchell Davey (replacing the injured Fritz Wallner) and David Wallinger (replacing the unavailable Josh Bailey) also put in maximum effort.

Team manager Dave Peet says: “Michael (Palm Toft) was just superb at Workington last night – he was brilliant all night. He won races from stone last, and his pass on Craig Cook was world class.

“It’s fair comment to say the 8-1 from Michael & Lewis Kerr in Heat 7 turned the match around. Michael got bogged down in traffic early on, but raced through, while Lewis set the pace up front. I always tell the team-mate of the rider on the tactical ride to only look behind for their team-mate on the final couple of bends. Lewis timed it perfectly and we got the 8-1.

“After that, we kept it close, and we absolutely deserved the point we got.

“Every rider was putting in maximum effort. That’s actually been the case all season; I’ve never been able to fault the riders for effort, in any of our away matches.

“We’re now starting to gain the points we deserve for our efforts. There were the three points for the home win over Glasgow; and now an away point at Workington.

“We’ve now built up some momentum, and we’ll be looking to continue that in the home match at the Eddie Wright Raceway against Redcar tomorrow evening (Easter Monday, 5.30pm).”

WORKINGTON COMETS 48
1. Craig Cook 2* 3 2 3 3 (13+1)
2. Mason Campton 3 2* 3 1* (9+2)
3. Ty Proctor 2 3 3 2 FX (10)
4. Adam Roynon 0 R 1 1* (2+1)
5. Thomas Jorgensen 3 1 3 0 (7)
6. Matt Williamson 1 0 0 2 (3)
7. Rob Shuttleworth 3 1 0 0 (4)

HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 45
1. Ryan Douglas 1 1* 2 2 (6+1)
2. Carl Wilkinson 0 2 2 1* (5+1)
3. Lewis Kerr 1 2* 0 3 1* (7+2)
4. Michael Palm Toft 3 6# 3 3 2 (17)
5. Josh Auty 2 1 2 1* (6+1)
6. Mitchell Davey (Guest) 2 1* 0 1 0 (4+1)
7. David Wallinger (Guest) 0 0 F (0)

# = tactical ride

1: Campton, Cook, Douglas, Wilkinson, 65.7 (5-1) (5-1).
2: Shuttleworth, Davey, Williamson, Wallinger, 66.3 (4-2) (9-3).
3: Palm Toft, Proctor, Kerr, Roynon, 65.3 (2-4) (11-7).
4 (Re-run): Jorgensen, Auty, Shuttleworth, Wallinger, 65.3 (4-2) (15-9).
5 (Re-run): Proctor, Wilkinson, Douglas, Roynon (ret), 66.4 (3-3) (18-12).
6: Cook, Campton, Auty, Wallinger (fell), 64.6 (5-1) (23-13).
7: PALM TOFT (TR), Kerr, Jorgensen, Williamson, 64.1 (1-8) (24-21).
8: Campton, Wilkinson, Davey, Shuttleworth, 66.4 (3-3) (27-24).
9: Proctor, Auty, Roynon, Davey, 66.0 (4-2) (31-26).
10: Palm Toft, Cook, Campton, Kerr, 64.8 (3-3) (34-29).
11: Jorgensen, Douglas, Wilkinson, Williamson, 66.2 (3-3) (37-32).
12 (Re-run): Kerr, Proctor, Davey, Shuttleworth, 65.4 (2-4) (39-36).
13: Cook, Douglas, Auty, Jorgensen, 64.4 (3-3) (42-39).
14: Palm Toft, Williamson, Roynon, Davey, 65.7 (3-3) (45-42).
15: Cook, Palm Toft, Kerr. Proctor (fell, excluded), awarded – no time (3-3) (48-45).

* HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions entertain Redcar Bears at the Eddie Wright Raceway tomorrow evening (Easter Monday, 5.30pm). Ex-Scorpion Jan Graversen is set to guest for the injured Fritz Wallner.