Brilliant Bears draw sting of the Scorpions
SCUNTHORPE Scorpions arrived at Redcar looking for at least a draw which would send them into the Jubilee League final to be held at Sheffield - but it was the Bears who triumphed 47-43.
At this stage Redcar could not qualify but if they defeated Scunthorpe by more than six points on the night the Scorpions would require a win or a draw at Leicester.
Fewer than six points and a further losing bonus point would suffice.
However, in the light of their 58-32 defeat on their last visit to the Paul Chapman and Sons Arena, all three eventualities seem unrealistc.
Redcar brought in Poole’s Danny King as a guest for injured Erik Riss while Scunthorpe used rider replacement for unfit Jake Allen and included two recent signings, former Bears Adam Roynon and Anders Rowe, at reserve.
The home side could not have made a better start to the meeting as Jason Edwards and Charles Wright sped away from the start to record a maximum heat win.
However,the euphoria was shortlived as the Scorpions levelled the score with a 5-1 of their own in the second heat.
The third heat, won by rider replacement Ryan Douglas who recorded the first of five consecutive heat wins, was drawn but the visitors opened up a four-point lead with 4-2s in the next two heats.
Lewis Kerr had stormed through from the back in heat four but caused Tero Aarnio to fall as he passed the Finn for the lead and was excluded.
Jordan Jenkins led the re-run until the final lap when Aarnio swept passed him for the three points.
Douglas took his second win in heat five and with Lambert finishing third the Scorpions led 17-13.
Heats six ,seven and eight were shared and at the halfway stage Scunthorpe retained their four-point advantage.
Having provided five of the eight heat winners, they perhaps held hopes of achieving their target.
However the impetus turned unexpectedly the Bears’ way following two 5-1s in the ninth and tenth heats .
First guest King and Kasper Andersen and then Wright and
Edwards, stormed to the front, giving Redcar a four-point lead.
Aarnio’s exclusion for a tape infringement in heat ten did not help the Scorpions with reserve replacement Rowe finishing last.
Douglas won the heat eleven with Lambert in third again to reduce the deficit to two and with two further drawn heats the Bears led 40-38 with two races remaining.
In the penultimate heat, eventual Man of the Match Jordan Jenkins was brought in to replace pointless fellow reserve Bickley.
The tactical move worked a treat as Jenkins made an electric start to take the lead and Andersen, passing Rowe on the back straight, joined his teammate for a match-winning 5-1.
Only a losing bonus point was now available to Scunthorpe, which was gratefully taken as Douglas won the final heat by a mile and Aarnio held off a challenging Wright for third.
Jenkins, who top scored with ten points and a bonus, thoroughly deserved his Man of the Match award and, with the exception of struggling Bickley, the other Bears pulled together to grind out a hard earned victory.
Douglas was outstanding for the Scorpions and Rowe was very impressive on his return to his former track.
Scunthorpe were defeated 56-34 at Leicester on Saturday night.