Scunthorpe Scorpions v Poole Pirates

Report

SCUNTHORPE edged a four-point advantage at the halfway stage of the Championship KO Cup Final after a 47-43 home win over Poole on Sunday.

Neither side could record a single 5-1 throughout the first leg at the Eddie Wright Raceway with the Scorpions seeing an early advantage of six points pulled back as the Pirates levelled by Heat 10.

Two home 4-2s followed in the next two races with the final three shared, leaving the tie in the balance for the return at Wimborne Road on Wednesday, where the Scorpions have totalled scores of 41 and 45 on their two visits this season.

Ryan Douglas top-scored for Scunthorpe with 13, whilst reserve Drew Kemp notched 10+1. Zach Cook collected an impressive 14 from six rides for the Pirates with Richard Lawson on 10.

Douglas said: “Poole have won here a couple of times this season, so it was important we won today and we did that. We’d have liked to have a bigger lead to take down there, but we know we can run them close at their place and I believe we can still do it overall and win the Cup.

“It’s not going to be easy, but it’s going to be our final meeting of the season at Poole and we’ll be fired up for it.”

Pirates boss Gary Havelock said: “If you had offered me that before the start of the meeting I would have bit your hand off!

“The guys did well today, they put the disappointment of last week behind them, and that was immense I can tell you, and all worked really hard to keep things as tight as possible.

“They have put us in a good position and I will do everything I possibly can to get down to Poole for the second leg, but be assured if I can’t be there in person I will be there in spirit.”

CHAMPIONSHIP KO CUP FINAL 1st leg:
SCUNTHORPE 47: Ryan Douglas 13, Drew Kemp 10+1, Michael Palm Toft 8+1, Simon Lambert 6, Jake Allen 6, Connor Mountain 3, Nathan Ablitt 1+1.
POOLE 43: Zach Cook 14, Richard Lawson 10, Ben Cook 6, Steve Worrall 6, Joe Thompson 4, Kyle Newman 3+2, Anders Rowe r/r.

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Photo credit: IAN RISPIN