Scorpions vow to fight back on Bank Holiday Monday
NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS 54 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 38 (SGB CHAMPIONSHIP)
HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions are all the more determined to record two victories in the double-header at the Eddie Wright Raceway this afternoon (Bank Holiday Monday, 3pm), after slipping to a 38-54 defeat at Newcastle’s Brough Park last night (Sunday).
Scorpions went 9-21 behind after a slow start at Brough Park, with Tero Aarnio and Josh Bailey’s 4-2 in Heat 2 the only early bright spot for Scorpions.
But with Lewis Kerr (pictured) recording a hat-trick of wins on the return to his former home track and Josh Auty taking a second place as a tactical ride in Heat 8, Scorpions reduced the gap to six points with just three heats to go. Kerr’s victories including a defeat of newly crowned European Under-21 Champion Robert Lambert in Heat 10.
However, Diamonds then pulled away in the final three races, to end up with a 16-point margin of victory. Scorpions were fighting all the way to Heat 15, where Michael Palm Toft was in a battle with Lambert.
Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “We were always up against it, going to Newcastle while using a restricted rider replacement, and so it proved.
“Lewis Kerr was flying and took some great heat wins, but we were a bit up-and-down. Some of our riders deserved more for their efforts. For example, Josh Bailey rode hard for his points, while Josh Auty was hampered with bike problems.
“Newcastle are always good around their own track, and fully deserved the win.
“We’ll put this one behind us and move onto our home double-header against Newcastle and Workington. We want all six points from that. If we win both meetings, and can stop Workington from taking home a point, we can go level on points with the Comets.
“It’s a massive help that we have seven riders, with David Howe coming in a guest, and we don’t have to use rider replacement. We didn’t want R/R in a double-header.
“He’s a quality rider to come in, and it does take some pressure off the riders when you’re not using R/R, particularly those who have to take the extra rides. We’ll be going all out to win both meetings.”
NEWCASTLE DIAMONDS 54
1. Robert Lambert 3 3 2 2* 2* (12+2)
2. Ashley Morris 2* 0 3 0 (5+1)
3. Stuart Robson 2* 3 3 2 (10+1)
4. Ludvig Lindgren 3 2* 2* 3 3 (13+2)
5. Steve Worrall 3 2 2 3 (10)
6. Ben Hopwood F 0 0 1 (1)
7. Alfie Bowtell 2 1 F 0 (3)
HENDERSON INSURANCE SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 38
1. Michael Palm Toft 1 1 3 1 1 (7)
2. R/R for Jake Allen
3. Lewis Kerr 1 3 3 3 0 (10)
4. Ryan Douglas 0 0 1 2 (3)
5. Josh Auty 2 2 4# 1 0 (9)
6. Tero Aarnio 0 3 1 1* 1 (6+1)
7. Josh Bailey 1 0 1* 0 1 FX (3+1)
# = tactical ride
1: Lambert, Morris, Palm Toft, Aarnio, 61.8 (5-1) (5-1).
2: Aarnio, Bowtell, Bailey, Hopwood (fell), 64.7 (2-4) (7-5).
3: Lindgren, Robson, Kerr, Douglas, 63.5 (5-1) (12-6).
4: Worrall, Auty, Bowtell, Bailey, 64.0 (4-2) (16-8).
5: Robson, Lindgren, Palm Toft, Douglas, 64.0 (5-1) (21-9).
6: (Re-run) Lambert, Auty, Bailey, Morris (fell), 63.4 (24-12).
7: Kerr, Worrall, Aarnio, Hopwood, 64.3 (2-4) (26-16).
8: Morris, AUTY (TR), Aarnio, Bowtell (fell), 65.3 (3-5) (29-21).
9: Robson, Lindgren, Auty, Bailey, 64.2 (5-1) (34-22).
10: Kerr, Lambert, Douglas, Morris, 63.9 (2-4) (36-26).
11: Palm Toft, Worrall, Bailey, Hopwood, 63.8 (2-4) (38-30).
12: (Re-run) Kerr, Robson, Aarnio, Bowtell, 64.1 (2-4) (40-34).
13: Worrall, Lambert, Palm Toft, Auty (ret), 64.1(5-1) (45-35).
14: (Re-run) Lindgren, Douglas, Hopwood, Bailey (fell, excluded), 64.4 (4-2) (49-37).
15: Lindgren, Lambert, Palm Toft, Kerr, 64.5 (5-1) (54-38).
* HENDERSON INSURANCE Scunthorpe Scorpions will hold their annual collection for the Speedway Riders’ Benevolent Fund, during the interval between the two meetings at the Eddie Wright Raceway this afternoon.
