ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions moved within sight of the Cab Direct Championship play-offs with a hard-fought 50-40 victory over plucky Workington Comets at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway last night (Friday).

The result earned Scunthorpe all vital three Cab Direct Championship points – including the aggregate bonus point. Comets had won the corresponding clash at Workington on May 30 by 46-44.

Scorpions are now on the verge of the play-offs and can put matters beyond all mathematical doubt with a win over Edinburgh at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (August 28).

Workington are currently bottom of the table, but are the only visiting team to have won at the EWR – with a 47-43 victory in the BSN Series in May – and again showed their liking for the Scunthorpe track.

Scorpions moved into an early 9-3 lead – including a 5-1 from reserves Nathan Ablitt and Ryan Ingram in Heat 2 – and had extended their advantage to 27-15 after seven races.

Ingram made a rapid gate in Heat 8, but took a heavy crash on the opening turns. The 16-year-old reported he was “a bit sore and the bike’s bent.” Comets took three successive heat advantages which closed the gap to just four points on the night and two points on aggregate.

The racing was top notch, with Comets providing as much as the thrills as Scorpions. Jonas Jeppesen produced a top-quality ride to move from third to first in Heat 11 and Tate Zischke produced a similar barnstorming ride in Heat 12.

Scunthorpe No 1 and skipper Josh Pickering – who dropped his only points in Heat 10 – settled Scunthorpe nerves with a tapes-to-flag win in Heat 13 to maintain Scunthorpe’s four-point advantage.

Ablitt had already scored key points and he flew out of the gate in Heat 14, while Michael Palm Toft charged under Workington skipper Troy Batchelor on the second turn. Batchelor then threw the kitchen sink at Ablitt – and nearly crashed into the young Scorpion on the third lap. But Ablitt held on and Scorpions took a 5-1 that clinched not only victory on the night, but also the aggregate point.

Pickering closed out the meeting by fending out Zischke in a re-run Heat 15 and ‘Picko’ top-scored for Scorpions with 13 points, while a revitalised Palm Tott picked up 12 points. Ablitt scored 9+2 from reserve, and Luke Harrison collected seven.

Recent signing Jacob Hook battled to 3+2 on his home debut for Scorpions, including a 5-1 with Palm Toft in Heat 5.

Scunthorpe skipper and No 1 Josh Pickering said: “It was great to be back riding at Scunthorpe after a few weeks. Workington pushed us hard, but we pulled together. it was important for us to get the win as well as the aggregate point tonight as it puts us in a good position for the final matches of the season.”

SCUNTHORPE 50: Josh Pickering 13, Michael Palm Toft 12, Nathan Ablitt 9+2, Luke Harrison 7, Connor Mountain 4, Jacob Hook 3+2, Ryan Ingram 2+1.

WORKINGTON 40: Drew Kemp 10, Troy Batchelor 9, Tate Zischke 8+2, Jonas Jeppesen 6+1, Vinnie Foord 4, Niklas Holm Jakobsen 2, Max Perry 1.

* ELLIE ROSE TRAVEL Scunthorpe Scorpions are next in action at Scunthorpe’s Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (August 28) at 7.30pm, when they host Edinburgh Monarchs in a crucial Cab Direct Championship clash. Having drawn at Edinburgh in June, victory would pick up all three points for Scorpions. It’s the biggest meeting of the season so far at the EWR – and not to be missed!

Photo Credits: Ian Rispin

Report by: Rob Peasley