WORKINGTON COMETS 46 SCUNTHORPE SCORPIONS 44 (Cab Direct Championship)
ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions just missed out on the summit position in the Cab Direct Championship, when they were edged out at Workington yesterday early evening (Saturday), with Workington Comets eventually taking a 46-44 victory in a hard-fought meeting in Cumbria.
Following their fantastic 48-42 away victory at Redcar on Friday evening, victory would have taken Scunthorpe top of the early league standings. Nevertheless, the result completed a highly encouraging weekend for the club, during which Scorpions displayed they are serious contenders for a play-off position at the end of the season.
Furthermore, second-placed Scorpions have an excellent chance of the aggregate bonus point when the two sides meet at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway on August 21.
At the centre piece of the Scunthorpe performance was a superb paid maximum by skipper Josh Pickering, who remained unbeaten by a Comet whether he made the start or not.
Scorpions took a 5-1 from Pickering and Connor Mountain in Heat 1. Workington moved into a narrow lead in Heat 3, which they maintained throughout the rest of the meeting, with Comets’ advantage varying from two to six points.
Scunthorpe could have forced a draw with a 5-1 in Heat 15. Workington’s Troy Batchelor fell on the first bend, with Pickering and Luke Harrison holding a 5-1 at the time of the stoppage. All four were allowed in the re-run. Pickering was the early leader, and he created room for Harrison to move into second place, but eventually it was Jonas Jeppesen who took second to grab a narrow victory for Comets.
Pickering’s 14+1 paid maximum was backed up by nine from Harrison and 7+1 from Mountain.
WORKINGTON 46: Jonas Jeppesen 13, Tate Zischke 11+2, Troy Batchelor 11+1, Max Perry 7+2, Vinnie Foord 3, Niklas Holm Jakobsen 1, Craig Cook r/r.
SCUNTHORPE 44: Josh Pickering 14+1, Luke Harrison 9, Connor Mountain 7+1, Ace Pijper 5, Michael Palm Toft 4, Ryan Ingram 3+1, Nathan Ablitt 2+2.
* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions currently have a six-week break in home fixtures, before they host Plymouth Gladiators at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday, July 3 at 7.30pm. Their next away meeting is at Edinburgh on Friday, June 12.
PHOTO BY IAN RISPIN
