Moment of Magic from Auty gains respectability for Scorpions
SHEFFIELD TIGERS 54 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 39 (SGB CHAMPIONSHIP)
HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions could not stop table-topping Sheffield Tigers from taking an eleventh successive victory – but made their local rivals fight for the points at Owlerton last night (Thursday), before succumbing to a 39-54 defeat.
Scorpions’ final tally of 39 points was higher than any of the previous four visitors to Owlerton.
Sheffield put themselves in firm control with 5-1s from the first two races, but Scorpions then kept the gap steady, and reduced the deficit to five points with a 7-2 from Heat 8, after Josh Auty burst from fourth to first in exciting style.
Scorpions then kept it close, until Sheffield’s big guns took 5-1s from Heats 13 and 15 which stretched their lead from 7 to 15 points in the last three races.
Auty scored 13 points, and his main support came from Ryan Douglas (8+2) and Lewis Kerr (8+1). Tigers’ No 1 Josh Grajczonek scored a paid maximum.
Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “It was the 5-1s in the first two races that did the damage. You always know that Sheffield have very good heat-leaders and are going to come on strong at the end, so you’ve got to stop them from going ahead before that.
“It was a cracking ride from Josh Auty as the tactical ride in Heat 8. It wasn’t off a favourable gate (gate 4), but he told me he reckoned he could do something with it, and he didn’t disappoint with a great ride to move from last to first.
“That got us closer again, but you always felt they were stronger in the final few races and so it proved.”
SHEFFIELD TIGERS 54
1. Josh Grajczonek 2* 3 3 3 (11+1)
2. Todd Kurtz 3 1 0 0 (4)
3. Lasse Bjerre 1* 3 3 3 3 (13+1)
4. Josh Bates 2 0 1 2 (5)
5. Kyle Howarth 2 3 3 2* 2* (12+2)
6. Jan Graversen 2* 0 2 0 1* (5+2)
7. Georgie Wood 3 1* FX (4+1)
HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 39
1. Michael Palm Toft 0 1* 2 1 (4+1)
2. Jake Allen R/R
3. Lewis Kerr 3 2 2 1* 0 (8+1)
4. Ryan Douglas 0 2 1* 1* 3 1 (8+2)
5. Josh Auty 3 2 6# 2 0 (13)
6. Tero Aarnio 1 1 1 0 1* 2 (6+1)
7. Josh Bailey 0 0 0 0 (0)
# = tactical ride
1: Kurtz, Grajczonek, Aarnio, Palm Toft, 61.1 (5-1) (5-1).
2: Wood, Graversen, Aarnio, Bailey, 62.3 (5-1) (10-2).
3: Kerr, Bates, Bjerre, Douglas, 61.5 (3-3) (13-5).
4: Auty, Howarth, Wood, Bailey, 62.5 (3-3) (16-8).
5: Bjerre, Douglas, Palm Toft, Bates, 62.0 (3-3) (19-11).
6: Grajczonek, Auty, Kurtz, Bailey, 61.7 (4-2) (23-13).
7: Howarth, Kerr, Douglas, Graversen, 62.5 (3-3) (26-16).
8: AUTY (TR), Graversen, Aarnio, Kurtz, 62.0 (2-7) (28-23).
9: Bjerre, Auty, Bates, Aarnio, 61.8 (4-2) (32-25).
10: Grajczonek, Kerr, Douglas, Kurtz, 62.6 (3-3) (35-28).
11: Howarth, Palm Toft, Aarnio, Graversen, 62.5 (3-3) (38-31).
12: (Re-run twice) Bjerre, Aarnio, Kerr, Wood (fell, excluded), 62.8 (3-3) (41-34).
13: Grajczonek, Howarth, Palm Toft, Auty, 62.3 (5-1) (46-35).
14: Douglas, Bates, Graversen, Bailey, 63.1 (3-3) (49-38).
15: Bjerre, Howarth, Douglas, Kerr, 63.2 (5-1) (54-39).
* HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are next in action at Newcastle on Sunday, before entertaining both Newcastle and Workington in a double-header at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm).
