Gladiators take the win

The Plymouth ProwPark Gladiators took the league points with a 46-43 victory over The Scunthorpe Scorpions, in another close fought encounter at The Coliseum.

In a nip and tuck meeting, the Gladiators found themselves a point down at heat 11, before two successive maximum heat advantages first by the Thompson twins, followed by Ben Barker and Zach Cook, saw them regain control to lead by seven points heading into heat 14.  

The penultimate race saw former Gladiator Kyle Howarth, in as a tactical sub, join forces with Connor Mountain to deliver the Scorpions own maximum heat advantage, leaving the nominated heat 15 with all to play for, but a shared 3-3 saw the Gladiators take victory on the night, with the Scorpions securing the aggregate bonus point. 

Joe Thompson continued his rich vein of form, top scoring with 11, backed by guest Zach Cook (8+2) and skipper Ben Barker (8)

Scores:

Plymouth Gladiators = 46 (74)

1. Zach Cook (G) – 0, 2, 3, 2′, 1′ = 8+2 

2. Alfie Bowtell – 2, 1′, 3, 0 = 6+1

3. Dan Thompson – 2, 2, R, 2′ = 6+1

4. Patrick Baek – 1′, 0, 2 = 3+1 

5. Ben Barker – 3, EX, FX, 3, 2 = 8

6. Joe Thompson – 3, 2, 3, 3, 0 = 11

7. Jacob Hook – 2′, 1, 0, 1 = 4+1 

Scunthorpe Scorpions = 43 (104)

1. Michael Palm Toft – 3, 1, FX, 0 = 4

2. Simon Lambert – 1, 3, 1′, 2 = 7+1

3. Jake Allen – 0, 3, 1′, 1 = 5+1 

4. Connor Mountain – 3, 1, 2, 2′, FX = 8+1 

5. Kyle Howarth – 2, 3, 3, 1, 3, 3 = 15 

6. Nathan Ablitt – F, 0, 1, 0 = 1

7. Luke Harrison – 1, 0, 2 = 3

Heat Results

Heat 01: Toft, Bowtell, Lambert, Cook 2-4 52.65

Heat 02: J.Thompson, Hook, Harrison, Ablitt (F) 5-1 (7-5) 56.00

Heat 03: Mountain, D.Thompson, Baek, Allen 3-3 (10-8) 53.61 

Heat 04: Barker, Howarth, Hook, Harrison 4-2 (14-10) 52.62

Heat 05: Lambert, D.Thompson, Toft, Baek 2-4 (16-14) 53.66 

Heat 06: Howarth, Cook, Bowtell, Ablitt 3-3 (19-17) 52.69 

Heat 07: Allen, J.Thompson, Mountain, Barker (EX) 2-4 (21-21) 54.08 

Heat 08: Bowtell, Harrison, Lambert, Hook 3-3 (24-24) 53.95 

Heat 09: Howarth, Baek, Ablitt, D.Thompson (R) 2-4 (26-28) 52.94 

Heat 10: Cook, Mountain, Allen, Bowtell 3-3 (29-31) 52.74 

Heat 11: J.Thompson, Lambert, Toft (FX), Barker (FX) 3-2 (32-33) 53.40 

Heat 12: J.Thompson, D.Thompson, Allen, Ablitt 5-1 (37-34) 53.59

Heat 13: Barker, Cook, Howarth, Toft 5-1 (42-35) 53.29

Heat 14: Howarth, Mountain, Hook, J.Thompson 1-5 (43-40) 55.44 

Heat 15: Howarth, Barker, Cook, Mountain (FX) 3-3 (46-43) 53.54 

Courtesy of Speedway Updates

Image Credit: Fin Sutton