Scorpions look to end Monarchs’ unbeaten run

THERE is an absolute cracker of a speedway meeting in store at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway on Bank Holiday Monday (3pm), as the FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions entertain the in-form Edinburgh Monarchs, with vital Premier League points at stake.

There are 30 heats of action in total, with the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags and Devon Demons in National League action in the second half.

The Scorpions have been involved in four Premier League meetings so far, beating both Somerset (46-44) and Plymouth (52-43) at the Eddie Wright Raceway, but slipping to defeats at Ipswich and Edinburgh.

Edinburgh Monarchs have got off to a flying start in 2014. Home-and-away challenge match wins against Glasgow were followed by a perfect record in six matches in the Northern Section of the League Cup. Their 59-34 PL victory over the Scorpions at Armadale on Friday took their 2014 record to: 9 meetings, 9 wins.

However, that run has to come to a halt at some point… and Scunthorpe fans will be hoping it will be on Monday afternoon.

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “We can beat Edinburgh. The Monarchs are a strong team, but so are we, and our riders will want to prove themselves after the defeat we suffered at Edinburgh on Friday.

“Ryan Douglas will be moving up from reserve to ride at No 3, but I don’t think his scoring around Scunthorpe is going to slow down much. He’s been beating everyone around the Eddie Wright Raceway and won Heat 15 a couple of times.

“Thomas Jorgensen moves down to reserve. He’s a quality rider; the advantage of the way our team is built this year is that we always have one strong reserve.”

Scunthorpe’s new signing, to come into the place of the injured Anders Mellgren, will not be in place in time for Monday. The Scorpions will use either a guest or rider replacement at No 1.

Sunday’s adult admission price for the double-header is £17. It’s just £2 more than a single Premier League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway, for 15 extra heats of action.

The circuit rightfully has won the award, several times, for being the best racetrack in the Premier League, so a full and exciting day of racing is ahead.

Admission prices for Bank Holiday Monday:

Adult: £17.00
Student/OAP: £15.00
Child (10 – 17): £5.00
Child (0 – 9) Free (accompanied by paying adult)
Family Ticket £39 (2 adults, 2 Children 10-17)
Match Programme: £1.00

Expected teams for Monday (English unless stated):

FluidAir Power Scunthorpe Scorpions: 1. Guest or Rider replacement for Anders Mellgren (Sweden), 2. David Howe (pictured), 3. Ryan Douglas (Australia), 4. Ashley Birks, 5. Josh Auty, 6. Matt Williamson, 7. Thomas Jørgensen (Denmark).

Edinburgh Monarchs: 1. Craig Cook, 2. Justin Sedgmen (Australia), 3. Max Fricke (Australia), 4. Derek Sneddon (Scotland), 5. Sam Masters (Australia), 6. Aaron Fox (United States), 7. Steve Worrall.

Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags: 1. Steve Jones, 2. Arron Mogridge R/R, 3. Danno Verge, 4. Adam Extance (guest for unavailable Tyler Govier), 5. Sam Chapman, 6. Liam Sanderson, 7. Ryan MacDonald (Scotland).

Devon Demons: 1. Tim Webster, 2. Matt Bates, 3. Lee Smart R/R, 4. Danny Stoneman, 5. Ben Reade, 6. James Shanes, 7. Richard Andrews.

Scorpions Info

Ashley Birks has become the tenth rider in the Club’s history to score over 1000 points for the club (1010 to date).

Edinburgh Monarchs at EWR

Name Lge M R Pts BP (no BP) (w BP) Best Performance
Craig Cook PL 10 44 80 1 7.27 7.36 18 from 5 rides (inc 6 pts T/R (2013))
Aaron Fox DEBUT PL MEETING @ EWR
Max Fricke PL 1 4 4 1 4.00 5.00 4 + 1 from 4 rides (2013)
Sam Masters PL 5 25 33 3 5.28 5.76 13 from 6 rides (inc 4 pts T/R (2012))
Justin Sedgmen PL 6 30 32 8 4.27 5.33 15 + 1 from 6 rides (2010)
Derek Sneddon PL 8 32 24 4 3.00 3.50 7 from 4 rides (2011)
Steve Worrall PL 29 120 107 25 3.57 4.40 10 + 2 from 5 rides (2011)

Other Notes

Craig Cook
2012 Premier League Riders Champion.
2009 National League Riders Champion.
Rode in last year’s World Cup for Team GB and as a reserve in the British Grand Prix at Cardiff.
Member of Workington’s Young Shield Winning Teams in 2009 and 2010.
Member of Buxton’s National League Championship, KO Cup and National Trophy Winning Teams in 2010.
Won the 2014 Ben Fund Bonanza after top scoring for Team GB.
Named as a ‘doubling-up’ rider and Captain of Belle Vue for the 2014 Elite League season.

Aaron Fox
American rider in his first British League season.

Max Fricke
Twice Australian Under-21 Champion (2013/2014).

Sam Masters
2011 Premier League Riders Champion.
2012 New South Wales State Champion.
Returns to the Premier League after being forced to miss last season due to work visa legislation.

Justin Sedgmen
2012 Victorian State Champion.
A rider with Elite League experience who returns to the British League after a year out.

Derek Sneddon
Member of Armadale’s Conference Trophy Winning Team in 2005.
Member of Edinburgh’s Premier League Championship, Premier Trophy and Play-Off Winning Teams in 2008.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier Trophy, KO Cup and Play-Off Winning Teams in 2010.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier Shield Winning Team in 2011.

Steve Worrall
Former Scunthorpe Scorpion and Saint.
Member of the Saints’ National League Winning Team in 2011.
Member of Newcastle’s Premier Shield Winning Team in 2013.
A Fast-Track Reserve with Swindon for the 2014 Elite League season.
A member of the Cradley Heath 2014 National League team.

Edinburgh Monarchs’ Results at EWR

26 May 2008 PL W Scunthorpe 39 Edinburgh 53
25 May 2009 PL L Scunthorpe 49 Edinburgh 44
11 July 2009 PT SF W Scunthorpe 44 Edinburgh 46
31 May 2010 PL W Scunthorpe 41 Edinburgh 48
02 May 2011 PL L Scunthorpe 46 Edinburgh 44
29 August 2011 PL(Ph 2) L Scunthorpe 50 Edinburgh 41
07 May 2012 PL L Scunthorpe 55 Edinburgh 37
30 September 2012 PLPO SF L Scunthorpe 59 Edinburgh 34
06 May 2013 PL L Scunthorpe 49 Edinburgh 45