Scorpions take brilliant victory at Glasgow

GLASGOW TIGERS 37 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 53 (CHAMPIONSHIP)

HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions picked up a sensational 53-37 away victory against second-placed Glasgow Tigers at the Peugeot Ashfield Stadium last night (Saturday). It blew apart Glasgow’s 100% home record this season, and is no doubt, the best performance of the season by Scorpions – in fact, it’s probably the best away performance of any side in the Championship this season.

Glasgow announced at lunchtime that they were planning to go-ahead with the meeting, despite the Scottish city being battered with very heavy rain, with track covers coming to the rescue.

The start-time of the meeting was delayed by 30 minutes to allow for extra track work, and once the meeting got away, it was obvious that Scorpions would be more than competitive.

Scorpions took the lead with a 5-1 from Ben Barker and Simon Lambert in Heat 4, and they edged further ahead with a 4-2 from Jake Allen and Stefan Nielsen in Heat 5.

Tigers found themselves forced into using a tactical substitute on their own track in Heat 7, as home No 1 Craig Cook completed back-to-back wins, despite pressure from Josh Auty. But Ryan Kinsley and Lambert extended Scorpions’ lead to eight with a 5-1 in Heat 8.

Cook was again given a hard time by Auty in Heat 10, as Tigers took a 4-2, but Allen and Lambert extended the lead back to eight points in Heat 11.

Allen lowered Cook’s colours in Heat 13, as he and Barker took the 4-2 that secured victory for Scorpions.

Both Auty and Lambert passed Sam Jensen on the final lap of Heat 14, and the resultant 5-1 secured all four points for Scorpions, while Allen and Barker finished off the night with a flourish with 4-2 in Heat 15.

Allen top-scored for Scorpions with 14 points, dropping his only point to Cook in Heat 1. Lambert (pictured) totted up a remarkable 12+5 from seven reserve rides, with Auty and Barker scored 10 points apiece.

The four league points gained takes Scorpions back up to sixth place in the Championship, while the defeat is a major blow to Glasgow’s chances of catching Leicester at the top of the table.

Scorpions’ team manager Dave Peet said: “Our performance was excellent – every single rider put a shift in.

“When we arrived, there was some track work going on. I don’t think some of the Glasgow riders liked the look of the track, whereas we just got on with it. I think we wanted it more, while we were getting out of the starts.

“Josh Auty came close to beating Craig Cook a couple of times, and then Jake Allen beat Cookie in Heat 13. Both Jake and Josh were superb tonight. If they ride like that at Sheffield in the Championship Riders’ Individual, they could both end up on the rostrum.

“It is a big bonus having Simon Lambert scoring so many points down at reserve. He is enjoying his speedway with us and he gets on well with the rest of the lads. Simon is also relishing taking the extra rides, which he’s had to do, ever since poor Danny Ayres got injured.

“Ever since we introduced Simon and Ben Barker, I knew we had this kind of performance within us as a team, and I’m so pleased that it’s come out and we’ve had a meeting like this before the end of the season.

“I’ve been critical of one or two of our away performances, when I felt I’ve needed to be, but the lads were awesome at Glasgow, every one of them, and I take off my hat to them.”

GLASGOW 37: Craig Cook 14, Claus Vissing 9, Sam Jensen 5+2, Rasmus Jensen 3, Kyle Bickley 2+1, Mikkel B Andersen 2, Connor Bailey 2.
SCUNTHORPE 53: Jake Allen 14, Simon Lambert 12+5, Josh Auty 10, Ben Barker 10, Ryan Kinsley 4+1, Stefan Nielsen 3, Danny Ayres r/r.

* BOTH Jake Allen and Josh Auty represent HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions at Sheffield in the Championship Riders’ Individual at Sheffield this afternoon (Sunday, 5pm). Auty replaces Kyle Howarth, who was injured at Eastbourne last night.