ALL SQUARE IN ARMADALE THRILLER

EDINBURGH and Scunthorpe fought out a dramatic 45-45 draw at a damp Armadale in the Cab Direct Championship with the hosts recovering from a nightmare start.

The Scorpions took 5-1s in the first two races to go eight points ahead but the Monarchs recovered and established a narrow lead with a 5-1 in Heat 10.

The visitors immediately levelled in the next race and four successive shared heats completed the meeting with home riders coming from the back in the closing stages.

Guest Nick Morris sliced between Connor Mountain and Nathan Ablitt in Heat 14 for a 3-3 whilst the Scorpions held a match-winning 4-2 position in Heat 15 until Morris slowed down Michael Palm Toft enabling Kye Thomson to come through for a point.

Morris racked up 14+2 from six rides in an impressive stand-in performance for Paco Castagna and Thomson scored 11+1, whilst former Monarchs skipper Josh Pickering collected 14 on his Armadale return.

Thomson said: “I thought in mid-meeting we were doing enough to get the win.

“Conditions certainly made it difficult. We had a good guest in Nick Morris who did an awesome job.”

Scunthorpe boss David Howe said: “A point is a point and I’ll be happy with an away draw when I have more time to reflect on the result. It was another good away performance from the boys and we could have won the match.

“I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t win, but that shows how well the team is now working together, because a few weeks ago we would have seen this is a very positive result. Everyone contributed tonight – it was a team performance.”

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Photo credit: JACK CUPIDO