Report: Scunthorpe v Redcar

SCUNTHORPE came out on top against play-off rivals Redcar in a highly entertaining 46-44 victory at the Eddie Wright Raceway on night Friday.

It was a true team performance from the Scorpions with skipper Simon Lambert at the heart of it all alongside Adam Ellis and Jordan Palin. The hosts took an early the lead with a 5-1 from Josh MacDonald and Palin in Heat 2.

And then the home side got back-to-back heat advantages with two straight wins for Lambert in Heat 5 and 6, which briefly extended their lead to eight points. Redcar hit straight back in the next race with a 5-1 as Charles Wright came in as a tactical substitute cutting the lead down to four points.

Former Scorpion Jake Allen was a real handful and Ellis had to work very hard to lower his colours in Heat 10. Allen fought past the lively Lambert and then burst past Ellis into the lead, but the Scorpions’ No.1 managed to force his way back inside Allen on the second bend of the final lap.

Wright and James Sarjeant trapped in Heat 11 and looked set to level the scores, but Palin was right behind Sarjeant. Just when time seemed to be running out, the 17-year-old pounced off the final bend and passed Sarjeant for a priceless second place.

The race of the night came in Heat 13. Ellis and Jorgensen emerged from the second bend in front, but all four riders were almost level by the end of lap one. Michael Palm Toft fought past Thomas Jorgensen for second place with passing and re-passing each other with the score now 41-37.

The Scorpions almost came unstuck in the next heat, though, when Allen and Anders Rowe hit the front. But the superb Palin got inside Rowe and created room for Pijper to follow through, as the home side maintained their four point lead.

In the final race it looked good for the Scorpions out of the second bend, but both visitors were hunting down on Ellis as Palm Toft charged under the Brit to take the lead on the third lap while Allen had to settled for third despite a late charge on the final turn.

SCUNTHORPE 46: Adam Ellis 13+1, Jordan Palin 10+1, Simon Lambert 10, Theo Pijper 5+2, Thomas Jorgensen 5+1, Josh Macdonald 3, Tero Aarnio R/R.

REDCAR 44: Jake Allen 14+1, Michael Palm Toft 12, Charles Wright 10, James Sarjeant 5+1, Anders Rowe 3+1, Jordan Jenkins 0, Jordan Stewart R/R.