Workington Comets v Scunthorpe Scorpions

WORKINGTON overcame a tough test from Scunthorpe to open their BSN Series account with a 49-41 win at the GT Tyres Arena.

When Scorpions duo Josh Pickering and Nathan Ablitt combined for a 5-1 in Heat 11 it meant the visitors had clawed their way back from six points down to level the scores in an encouraging away display.

But the Comets responded with 5-1s in Heats 12 and 14, both involving guest reserve Cooper Rushen, and new No.1 Jonas Jeppesen completed a strong showing by winning the final race.

Jeppesen scored 12+1 for the home side with Craig Cook also impressing on 12, whilst Pickering scored 12 for the visitors despite conceding a 5-1 in Heat 1, and youngster Ryan Ingram impressed again with 6+1.

Comets stand-in manager Baz Collins said: “It was a really well contested meeting all the way through and both sides gave it everything. I thought it was a great spectacle with plenty of good racing.

“It’s a great start to the season for us with a win under our belts, and hopefully we’ll push on next weekend with the home and away matches with Berwick.”

Scorpions boss David Howe said: “We worked hard to get level heading into the interval, but then the two 5-1s have done us. In a way, we would have been better to be slightly further back, so Josh could have come in as a tactical substitute.

“There were plenty of promising signs. Nathan turned his afternoon around and took two paid wins, while young Ryan continues to come in on leaps and bounds and he had a really good meeting. There were good signs from this meeting – we’ve just got to keep on improving.”

BSN SERIES (NORTH)
WORKINGTON 49: Jonas Jeppesen 12+1, Craig Cook 12, Cooper Rushen 8+2, Tate Zischke 6+1, Troy Batchelor 6, Niklas Holm Jakobsen 5+1, Jamie Etherington 0.
SCUNTHORPE 41: Josh Pickering 12, Ryan Ingram 6+1, Luke Harrison 5+2, Michael Palm Toft 5+1, Connor Mountain 5, Nathan Ablitt 4+2, Simon Lambert 4.

OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARD
Available here

Photo credit: DAVE PAYNE