By Report: Scunthorpe Scorpions take top spot with victory over Redcar
Scunthorpe Scorpions saw off Redcar Bears at home to move into top spot in the Cab Direct Championship on Friday night.
In what was their first league game of the season at the Eddie Wright Raceway, Scorpions were in a dominant mood, as Ryan Douglas (14+1), Michael Palm Toft (13+2) and Simon Lambert (10+2) all recorded paid maximums to secure a 55-35 victory.
But it was a solid Scunthorpe performance with all seven riders scoring points, with new signing Drew Kemp collecting four on his debut for the hosts.
Douglas and Lambert both beat former British Champion Danny King in Heat 1, as Scorpions opened with a 5-1 and a further maximum for this partnership in Heat 6 – this time over Charles Wright – placed Scorpions six points in front.
Palm Toft foiled King’s tactical substitute ride in Heat 7 and was followed by four successive heat advantages for Scorpions as they moved 42-24 ahead.
Douglas and Palm Toft scored 5-1s in both Heats 13 and 15, as Scorpions built up a 20-point lead that will be a very handy advantage when it comes to the aggregate bonus point when the two sides meet at the ECCO Arena on July 21.
Team manager Dave Peet said: “I’m very pleased with tonight’s performance. The whole team put a shift in – the entire one-to-seven contributed points. When that happens, we win comfortably like we did tonight.
“Drew Kemp had a decent debut. He’s been riding in Poland this year, but the UK tracks are different in set-up to Polish tracks, so he’s just getting himself dialled back in. But he’s already scoring points, while we know what an asset he can be to the team for the rest of the season.
“Nathan Ablitt continued to ride like he did at Edinburgh last week – he’s getting stuck in and the points are starting to come and it’s a delight to see.
“It’s not often we have three riders all on a paid maximum. It’s a very nice headache to have for Heat 15. Dougy was Dougy, while Michael showed his fuel problems are long behind him – he’s still using the same bikes but now they’re working for him and he’s able to show what he’s capable of.
“But I’m most pleased about the paid maximum for Simon Lambert. He’s racing the best I’ve seen him this season and the paid maximum was a just reward for his efforts.
“The 20-point margin puts us in a very good position when it comes to the aggregate point – we gained the aggregate point off Redcar in the BSN Series with just a 10-point lead.
“It’s also Redcar waiting for us in the cup semi-finals, once we make sure we stay professional and complete the job over Birmingham at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday. A result like tonight fills us with confidence – and demonstrates we have nothing to fear against them.”
Scunthorpe Scorpions are back in action at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday when they face Birmingham in the second leg of the KO Cup quarter-final, where they hold a 46-44 lead from the away leg.
