The Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions defeated the Workington Comets 47-43 at the Eddie Wright Raceway on Friday night. 

The meeting was the latest in a long line of thrillers since the club moved into the Premier League and the match wasn’t won until the penultimate race.  Leading the scoring was Magnus Karlsson with eleven points whilst Andrew Moore, Carl Wilkinson and Richard Hall were all paid for ten.

The meeting started in the best possible way with the side scoring a 5-1 in heat 1 and doubling the lead to eight points in heat 4.  By heat six the Scorpions were ten points to the good as Carl Stonehewer, the Comet’s former Grand Prix star, struggled to master the track. Surprisingly the Workington Team Manager Ian Thomas didn’t use his tactical options to close the gap but with Kauko Nieminen and James Wright (guesting for the injured Daniel Nermark) starting to master the track the Comets did produce six of the last eight races winners.  With the Workington side also able to call upon former-Scorpion Joe Haines they were able to reduce the deficit to six points with two races to go. 

However, Viktor Bergström was able to defeat Haines in heat 14 and Benji Compton picking up third place the Scorpions could once again celebrate a home victory.  That said the final race, which had nothing but pride at stake, was a classic.  Richard Hall, Magnus Karlsson and James Wright had a ding-dong battle for four laps before Wright won through and joined his captain, Kauko Nieminen, for a 5-1. 

The meeting was another fine advert for speedway and afterwards Promoter Rob Godfrey said “I thought Workington would run us close and they did.  They had a track specialist in Joe Haines and both James Wright and Kauko Nieminen were superb but we still won which is good news.  The racing was brilliant again and that last race was absolutely fantastic.  I think we probably have the best race track in the country and all the visiting fans that come seem to love it.  Next weekend is a busy one again so hopefully we can bag another win or two”.

The Scorpions are next in Premier League action on Friday night (16th May, start time 7.30pm), at the Eddie Wright Raceway, when the Newcastle Diamonds are the visitors. 

Scunthorpe Scorpions 47
Andrew Moore 9+1 (4 rides), Carl Wilkinson 8+2 (4), Magnus Karlsson 11 (5), Benji Compton 1(4), Richard Hall 9+1 (5), Byron Bekker 3+2 (4), Viktor Bergström 6+1 (4)

Workington Comets 43
James Wright 12+1 (5 rides), Barry Burchatt 2 (4), Kauko Nieminen 13 (5), Charles Wright 2+2 (3), Carl Stonehewer 1+1 (4), Joe Haines 12 (6), John Branney 1 (3)