STUNNING NIGHT FOR SCORPIONS

SCUNTHORPE smashed their club record away win at senior level with a dominant 54-36 victory at Edinburgh in the Cab Direct Championship on Friday.

The Scorpions took advantages of problems in the Monarchs’ team and hit top form themselves, after recovering from conceding a 5-1 in Heat 1.

Ryan Douglas was unbeaten thereafter as he scored 11+1, Jake Allen added 11 and reserve Connor Mountain put in a brilliant performance to rack up 11+3 from five rides.

The hosts lost Josh Pickering 24 hours before the meeting with Craig Cook then ruled out on the day, and also operated rider replacement for Paco Castagna due to a GP Qualifier. Guest Richie Worrall scored 13 points and Kye Thomson added 10.

Scunthorpe boss Dave Peet said: “It was a fantastic performance from the lads tonight. I told them on the track walk that I was fed up saying to them ‘good effort, lads’ to them after losing close away meetings in the league, and it was time we finally got one over the line.

“With no disrespect to any of their riders, but Edinburgh were not at full strength tonight, and we had to take advantage and we did.

“You can only beat what’s put in front of you, but we did it in style and I think we rode well enough that we’d have beaten their usual seven riders tonight.”

Monarchs boss Alex Harkess said: “Just as in our previous fixture we started with a 5-1 and I thought if we could keep that momentum going we might have a chance, even with our patched up line-up.

“But the score was reversed in the following race and we never got anything going after that. There’s no excuses, we were not good enough by a long way and it was very disappointing.”

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Photo credit: JACK CUPIDO