PREVIEW: SCUNTHORPE v BIRMINGHAM (C-KOC)

SCUNTHORPE are favourites to progress into the Championship KO Cup semi-finals as they host Birmingham at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (Friday).

The Scorpions take a 46-44 lead into the meeting from the first leg and struck form as a team in last week’s win over Redcar – the side they would face in the last four should they go through.

Birmingham include Zach Cook as a guest for James Wright, with rider replacement in operation for Stefan Nielsen.

Scunthorpe promoter Rob Godfrey said: “We can’t afford to be complacent, but we will go into the Cup clash with Birmingham full of confidence after last Friday’s fantastic performance against Redcar in our opening home league match.

“There’s a lot more to come from Drew Kemp around our track. By his own admission – on his debut for us last week – he tried to ride it like a Polish track and that doesn’t work at Scunny, but he’s figured things out now and the points will flow, I’m sure.

“I’m liking what I’m seeing from young Nathan Ablitt as well. He’s a real trier, he’s making starts, he’s trying to go round people and the points are definitely going to come for him if he continues like that.

“We’ve just bought some team kevlars for Drew and Nathan because this is the team that we want to see us through to the end of the season, all being well.”

Brummies manager Laurence Rogers said: “We’ve just got to go there and restore some pride.

“We know we’ve had a few things go against us, but we can’t hide from the fact that we should be doing better as a team.

“We know it’s going to be a tough task but in speedway you just never know sometimes.”

SCUNTHORPE: Ryan Douglas, Drew Kemp, Simon Lambert, Jake Allen, Michael Palm Toft, Nathan Ablitt, Connor Mountain.
BIRMINGHAM: Nick Morris, Alfie Bowtell, Zach Cook, Stefan Nielsen r/r, Justin Sedgmen, Joe Thompson, James Pearson.

*LIVE STREAMING: https://tv.scunthorpe-speedway.com/