Scorpions defeat league champions in a thriller

SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 46 SOMERSET REBELS 44 (PREMIER LEAGUE)

FLUIDAIR POWER Scunthorpe Scorpions won their opening Premier League meeting with a last-gasp 46-44 victory over defending champions Somerset Rebels at the Eddie Wright Raceway yesterday afternoon (Sunday).

The Scorpions trailed 41-43 going into the final heat, and when Somerset No 1 Nick Morris trapped in Heat 15, the hosts looked in trouble. But Scorpions’ flying Australian reserve Ryan Douglas, in his seventh outing of the afternoon, passed Morris on the second lap, and then Ashley Birks went around Morris coming off the very final bend, to seal a dramatic win for Scunthorpe.

In a meeting of fluctuating fortunes, the Scorpions led 16-8 after four races, but Somerset hit back to lead 29-25 after a 5-1 in Heat 9.

The Scorpions levelled the scores with a 5-1 from Douglas and Josh Auty in Heat 11, before moving ahead with a 4-2 from Douglas and Thomas Jorgensen in Heat 12.

The Rebels came back again with a 5-1 in Heat 13 from Todd Kurtz and Morris, while Birks withstood the challenge of Pontus Aspgren to Heat 14, and set up that breathtaking final race.

Douglas scored a fantastic paid 17 from reserve for the Scorpions and he was well supported by Birks (paid 10) and the ever-improving David Howe (9).

Speaking after the meeting, Scunthorpe team manager Dave Peet said: “This is a fabulous result – we knew Somerset were a very tough test for our opening league match.

“It was tight. Ashley Birks came up with a big ride to head home Pontus Aspgren in Heat 14, but we still needed a 5-1 from Heat 15 Ryan was an easy choice, while I went for Ash because he’d been our only rider to beat Aspgren (twice) prior to that race.

“Ryan got past Nick Morris, and then Nick seemed too busy looking to try to get back past Ryan. Ash lined up things perfectly and rounded Nick at the end, giving Nick no time to hit back. It’s always great to win a meeting at the death.

“We were keen to kick on from winning at Sheffield on Thursday. We weren’t necessarily firing on every single cylinder today – Aaron Summers, our guest, didn’t have a good meeting – but we dug deep and scored the points when we really needed to.

“Ryan was again a trump card from reserve, and showed why we were so keen to get him back over from Australia to ride for us this season.”

SCUNTHORPE 46: Ryan Douglas 16+1, Ashley Birks 9+1, David Howe 9, Josh Auty 5+1, Aaron Summers 3+1, Thomas Jorgensen 3, Matt Williamson 1.
SOMERSET 44: Pontus Aspgren 11+2, Todd Kurtz 9, Nick Morris 7+1, Brady Kurtz 7, Charles Wright 6, Paul Starke 4+2, Olly Allen r/r.