Stags give their all in entertaining match

SCUNTHORPE STAGS 29 DEVON DEMONS 61 (NATIONAL LEAGUE)

FORGET the final scoreline of Scunthorpe 29 Devon Demons 61 – this was the best National League meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway so far in 2014, with competitive racing from a Heat 1 featuring several passes through to a Heat 15 where Steve Jones so nearly upset the maximum of opposing No 1 Tim Webster.

The Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Stags were a little in the wars. Both Ryan MacDonald and Sam Chapman thudded into the air fence in Heat 4. Both were battered and bruised, with MacDonald forced to withdraw from the meeting.

In addition, guest Adam Extance was riding an injury sustained at Buxton the previous day, while Arron Mogridge – on his return from hand injuries – started to feel his injuries as the meeting wore on and was forced to pull up while leading Heat 10, while out as a tactical ride.

15-year-old Liam Sanderson, after a tough sequence of meetings, put in a super performance. He didn’t fall once in his six rides, and rode with great maturity to see off the challenge of Richard Andrews to win Heat 14 and become Stags’ only heat winner on the day.

Stags’ boss Richard Hollingsworth said: “We saw real progress today. Apart from poor Ryan, who is a bit battered and bruised from his fall, all the other lads came close to winning a race at one point or another.

“I took a gamble on giving Arron (Mogridge) the black & white helmet in Heat 10. I thought he had a real chance off gate 1. He proved that by leading the race, but then had to pull up, because he was feeling his injury. That was the sensible thing to do; I’d rather have him fully fit for the next meeting rather than falling because he can’t hold onto the bike.

“There was a lot of progress from Liam this week. He’s suffered a lot of falls the last few weeks. We’ve looked at his engine and the carburettors he’s been using, and made some changes. He rode a much better meeting today, and he can be pleased with himself; he rode a lovely Heat 14 to see off Richard Andrews.

“A lot of our riders weren’t 100% fit today, but there was plenty of good racing; with a bit more luck, we could have scored another 10 points.”

SCUNTHORPE 29: Steve Jones 7+2, Liam Sanderson 6+1, Sam Chapman (no.8) 6, Adam Extance 4, Danno Verge 3+1, Arron Mogridge 3, Ryan MacDonald 0, Reece Downes R/R.
DEVON 61: Tim Webster 15, Ben Reade 11+1, Matt Bates 10+2, Richard Andrews 10+2, James Shanes 8+2, Danny Stoneman 7, Lee Smart R/R.

PHOTO: Liam Sanderson emerges from a tight first bend to win Heat 14.