Scorpions v Ipswich 24.08.18 SGBC

[Baldyman]

There are  some very good young riders out there at the moment, and along with Drew look to have what it takes to go a long way in the sport. I for one hope they all make it .

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv]

Despite knowing how good Drew is last night he scored as many points as I expected from his whole stint to the season end!

A great talent and one of a few coming through which is fantastic news for British Speedway

 

[lucifer sam]

Drew Kemp was outstanding last night.  Great to see a young Brit doing so well.

Scorpions simply ran out of resources.  Disappointing night, but it was always going to tough as soon as Josh and Jake were ruled out.

[montie]

46 minutes ago, Badge said:

 

We mustn't forget this actually is his first season in speedway, so no pressure on the boy from here at Foxhall. Enjoy the journey Drew, learn your trade from Chris donc and co.

it was his involvement with Chris Louis that got me thinking 15 yearolds should be in the CL, im convinced a lad like that under Louis`s watch would have been fine to start this season racing in the CL,  for sure no worse that some of the 2 pointers we have seen recently  or some of the other shyte ive seen for that matter

[Guest WTF1]

4 hours ago, montie said:

it was his involvement with Chris Louis that got me thinking 15 yearolds should be in the CL, im convinced a lad like that under Louis`s watch would have been fine to start this season racing in the CL,  for sure no worse that some of the 2 pointers we have seen recently  or some of the other shyte ive seen for that matter

And Scunthorpe have the worst 2 pointer in Phillips,  hardly scored a point all season at Scunny with all his track time there, yet Drew Kemp barely 16 on his first visit goes away with paid 14 points ,unbelievable.

[Scorpison]

Young Drew Kemp will be a top British rider very quickly, he rode our track brilliantly and you would have thought that he was a home rider, the way he attacked the difficult conditions because of earlier heavy rain was unbelievable.

When you see our supposedly 2 pointer Phillips trundling round at the back of every race, you would think that he was on a 350 CC bike, and to think that he has ridden for years and was even riding a few years ago in our Conference League team, he is probably averaging 1 point, and most of these have been gained from 3rd places in three rider races, but for the past six years Rob has always had at least one no scoring dummy in the team, but with all of the injuries we have had this season Phillips has had to also take injured riders and RR rides as well as his own, even scoring seven zero's in some meetings, no team can carry a rider like him.   OK as has been stated, the guy had a bad crash last season, but a year later this excuse cannot still be used for ever, he should stay in the Conference League until he can be classed as a good rider in that leagues standard and should have been binned months ago, and give one of this batch of young Brithish riders a chance, I admire the guy, but am sick of watching him make up the numbers, and have no chance of meeting a 2 point average, I an wondering what he thinks of himself at scoring zero after zero every meeting, we could have possibly have got away with it if we had not had so many injuries, and also not having a second reserve that has had his share of zero meetings.

I have supported the Scunthorpe team since Quible Park, Ashbt Ville and the EWR, and have only missed one meeting in the past 8 years, but we actually walked out of Fridays meeting after 9 heats of painfull strung out races, no passing and we got outgated every race, the scoreline of 30-59 reflected how terrible our team performed, with Nielsen zero from 6 races, Phillips zero from 3 races, Worrall 3 then withdrawal and the Guest 4 from 5 races, this from a home team is pathetic, and no wonder supporters were leaving after 8 or 9 drawn out races.

Six years of being in the bottom two places is a bit depressing at times, but the racing is normally very good on our track, but with getting stuffed nearly every week it gets a bit much at times.

 

 

 

[Baldyman]

Now that's a sad read.  Hope you have something to cheer about again soon.

[Halifaxtiger]

6 hours ago, Scorpison said:

Young Drew Kemp will be a top British rider very quickly, he rode our track brilliantly and you would have thought that he was a home rider, the way he attacked the difficult conditions because of earlier heavy rain was unbelievable.

When you see our supposedly 2 pointer Phillips trundling round at the back of every race, you would think that he was on a 350 CC bike, and to think that he has ridden for years and was even riding a few years ago in our Conference League team, he is probably averaging 1 point, and most of these have been gained from 3rd places in three rider races, but for the past six years Rob has always had at least one no scoring dummy in the team, but with all of the injuries we have had this season Phillips has had to also take injured riders and RR rides as well as his own, even scoring seven zero's in some meetings, no team can carry a rider like him.   OK as has been stated, the guy had a bad crash last season, but a year later this excuse cannot still be used for ever, he should stay in the Conference League until he can be classed as a good rider in that leagues standard and should have been binned months ago, and give one of this batch of young Brithish riders a chance, I admire the guy, but am sick of watching him make up the numbers, and have no chance of meeting a 2 point average, I an wondering what he thinks of himself at scoring zero after zero every meeting, we could have possibly have got away with it if we had not had so many injuries, and also not having a second reserve that has had his share of zero meetings.

I have supported the Scunthorpe team since Quible Park, Ashbt Ville and the EWR, and have only missed one meeting in the past 8 years, but we actually walked out of Fridays meeting after 9 heats of painfull strung out races, no passing and we got outgated every race, the scoreline of 30-59 reflected how terrible our team performed, with Nielsen zero from 6 races, Phillips zero from 3 races, Worrall 3 then withdrawal and the Guest 4 from 5 races, this from a home team is pathetic, and no wonder supporters were leaving after 8 or 9 drawn out races.

Six years of being in the bottom two places is a bit depressing at times, but the racing is normally very good on our track, but with getting stuffed nearly every week it gets a bit much at times.

 

 

 

I think you are being a little harsh here, even if that is understandable in the circumstances. Scunthorpe were awful on Friday.

Rob Godfrey has taken a lot of criticism this season for some of his actions and in my opinion much of that is justified. But it is a lot harder to criticise him for what has happened at Scunthorpe.

In past seasons, EWR has quite properly gained a huge reputation for excellent racing.  Even though I have made many visits to the NSS this year, the best match I have seen remains Scunthorpe v Glasgow. On Friday, I think we were lucky to see a meeting at all given the weather conditions and I think Rob can be forgiven for the track not being at its best then. 

As to the team, on Friday both Auty and Allen were inadequately replaced. Nielsen is a pale shadow of the brilliant rider he was at the outset of the season and I suspect shouldn't be riding at all.  Worrall went out after one race. Manzares was disappointing and while Phillips struggled, there aren't many on his average who would do much better. 

Rob can be accused of putting out mediocre teams in the past, but not in 2018. What was a good team on paper has been destroyed by injury and that just isn't his fault.

[waytogo28]

6 hours ago, Scorpison said:

I have supported the Scunthorpe team since Quible Park, Ashbt Ville and the EWR, and have only missed one meeting in the past 8 years, but we actually walked out of Fridays meeting after 9 heats of painfull strung out races, no passing and we got outgated every race, the scoreline of 30-59 reflected how terrible our team performed, with Nielsen zero from 6 races, Phillips zero from 3 races, Worrall 3 then withdrawal and the Guest 4 from 5 races, this from a home team is pathetic, and no wonder supporters were leaving after 8 or 9 drawn out races.

I think that this is a feeling so many long-term fans have had or have been having for quite a long time. Yes, the hair that broke the camel's back, in this case, was a woefully weak home team ( due to injuries ) but the poor, slow presentation, little or no passing is what supporters everywhere are walking away from in numbers that are significant enough to break the back of speedway in the UK. The slow stream of fans who have "given up" on speedway is what is at the heart of the massive downturn in crowd numbers, I can't see even the new league proposals doing much to halt the slide unless the on-track racing and entertainment value is also improved. And this is at what is seen as one of the best three racing strips in the country.

[June]

As I see speedway at the moment; Riders who have been at the top of the sport becoming older and slower and can control their averages by choosing whether to attack and go for a win or settle for 2nd even third spot, then eventually drop down a league with an average that allows them to be in reserve spot. I'm not saying its wrong but  Reserve spots in all leagues should be for the young up and coming riders. Its how they learn their trade! Supporters pay to watch proper racing and want to see an all out attack of all four riders going for a win!. Understandably we have many accidents and riders that get injured eventually do get back to best. At Scunthorpe,  Unfortunately, this year we got to see all this from our very first home meeting! Its very hard to take. I'm a huge fan but didn't go to the Ipswich meeting.  Missed the new sensational youngster. BUT Good luck!  I am looking forward to the day I see you race!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MD]

4 hours ago, Halifaxtiger said:

As to the team, on Friday both Auty and Allen were inadequately replaced. Nielsen is a pale shadow of the brilliant rider he was at the outset of the season and I suspect shouldn't be riding at all.  Worrall went out after one race. 

Worrall then accepted a guest booking for Lakeside at Workington the following day. Injured or just didnt fancy it!

[Scorpison]

I fully agree with most of the comments above, and I have cooled down a bit since Friday night, but still feel that the meeting was really poor by Scunthorpes usual standards, and nearly everything was not as supporters want things.  Firstly the meeting dragged on for a meeting at the EWR, whereas we are not used to this at Scunny and there was no reason for it apart from the ref who was mainly at fault by taking ages between races and he just would not put the 2 min warning on, Rob usually jumps on refs for thiis, but on Friday appeared to be as pissed off as we were and did not hurry the ref, which is as said, very unusual.  Secondly the team was depleted I appreciate this, but to have RR for Josh, and a poor guest for Jake, plus our reserve strength being probably the worst in the league, we were well and truely thrashed as expected, but Garity apart, there appeared to be very little effort put in by our riders, we just could not gate at all and I thought that the track was not in bad nick, it appeared that Ipswich had no problems with it, and as stated Steve withdrew after one race, but was fit enough 20 hours later to drive from Grimsby up to Workington to take a guest invitation for Lakeside.  Lack of effort coupled with bikes that were underpowered compared with the Ipswich lads.

Anyway if no one complains, Rob will probably feel that nothing is wrong with things, but season after season we have a reserve that scores nothing, and the guy is never dropped, other teams like Peterborough bin riders that are never performing, but we never make changes and just accept it, but it surely must piss off other supporters just as much as myself, I would love for Matt Phillips to turn things round, but he is getting worse if anything, he should pack racing in if he is so far behind others.

[Bagpuss]

Who was guilty of a lack of effort?

[Guest WTF1]

1 hour ago, Scorpison said:

I fully agree with most of the comments above, and I have cooled down a bit since Friday night, but still feel that the meeting was really poor by Scunthorpes usual standards, and nearly everything was not as supporters want things.  Firstly the meeting dragged on for a meeting at the EWR, whereas we are not used to this at Scunny and there was no reason for it apart from the ref who was mainly at fault by taking ages between races and he just would not put the 2 min warning on, Rob usually jumps on refs for thiis, but on Friday appeared to be as pissed off as we were and did not hurry the ref, which is as said, very unusual.  Secondly the team was depleted I appreciate this, but to have RR for Josh, and a poor guest for Jake, plus our reserve strength being probably the worst in the league, we were well and truely thrashed as expected, but Garity apart, there appeared to be very little effort put in by our riders, we just could not gate at all and I thought that the track was not in bad nick, it appeared that Ipswich had no problems with it, and as stated Steve withdrew after one race, but was fit enough 20 hours later to drive from Grimsby up to Workington to take a guest invitation for Lakeside.  Lack of effort coupled with bikes that were underpowered compared with the Ipswich lads.

Anyway if no one complains, Rob will probably feel that nothing is wrong with things, but season after season we have a reserve that scores nothing, and the guy is never dropped, other teams like Peterborough bin riders that are never performing, but we never make changes and just accept it, but it surely must piss off other supporters just as much as myself, I would love for Matt Phillips to turn things round, but he is getting worse if anything, he should pack racing in if he is so far behind others.

Hooray!,  somebody who tells it how it is,  Phillips and Manzares have been shocking at reserve,  yes maybe Manzares scored 9 on Friday but it took him 7 rides to do it, 

Without Auty and Allen the racing was always going to be crap as Auty especially this season has been a revelation round Scunny,  you can have a great track but you need a certain type of rider to serve up the entertainment. 

[scunny1]

Rob was well aware we were poor, so was Dave Peet and Steve Worrall was embarrassed by the performance, or lack of, as well. I am sure if Jason had his say he would have been disappointed with his team mates  also, but probably said with passion and a few more choice less pc words!   Jake and Josh have been prolific scorers at home and were always going to be sorely missed.  Stefan needs more races to re hone his track craft. Don't know what I can say about the reserves, apart from not good enough. I stayed until the bitter end hoping it was all a one off, with the track not suiting ,us not gating, and Ipswich just so much better on the night. I saw a few new faces who I personally knew attending for the first time, don't expect on this performance they will return in a hurry.  

[Halifaxtiger]

4 hours ago, scunny1 said:

Rob was well aware we were poor, so was Dave Peet and Steve Worrall was embarrassed by the performance, or lack of, as well. I am sure if Jason had his say he would have been disappointed with his team mates  also, but probably said with passion and a few more choice less pc words!   Jake and Josh have been prolific scorers at home and were always going to be sorely missed.  Stefan needs more races to re hone his track craft. Don't know what I can say about the reserves, apart from not good enough. I stayed until the bitter end hoping it was all a one off, with the track not suiting ,us not gating, and Ipswich just so much better on the night. I saw a few new faces who I personally knew attending for the first time, don't expect on this performance they will return in a hurry.  

Definitely  I lost count of how many times he apologised and the teams performance was probably why he wasn't his usual droll self on the mic. 

While I would maintain the team was rubbish on Friday, I think it is most unfair to be critical of Rob Godfrey for the way things have panned out for the Scorpions this season.  A very decent side has been destroyed by injury and he can do little about that. 

I don't think for one single second that with performances like that he will believe that 'nothing is wrong with things'. Indeed, you'd have to be a supreme self deceiver if you did.

[thebaron]

19 hours ago, Scorpison said:

I fully agree with most of the comments above, and I have cooled down a bit since Friday night, but still feel that the meeting was really poor by Scunthorpes usual standards, and nearly everything was not as supporters want things.  Firstly the meeting dragged on for a meeting at the EWR, whereas we are not used to this at Scunny and there was no reason for it apart from the ref who was mainly at fault by taking ages between races and he just would not put the 2 min warning on, Rob usually jumps on refs for thiis, but on Friday appeared to be as pissed off as we were and did not hurry the ref, which is as said, very unusual.  Secondly the team was depleted I appreciate this, but to have RR for Josh, and a poor guest for Jake, plus our reserve strength being probably the worst in the league, we were well and truely thrashed as expected, but Garity apart, there appeared to be very little effort put in by our riders, we just could not gate at all and I thought that the track was not in bad nick, it appeared that Ipswich had no problems with it, and as stated Steve withdrew after one race, but was fit enough 20 hours later to drive from Grimsby up to Workington to take a guest invitation for Lakeside.  Lack of effort coupled with bikes that were underpowered compared with the Ipswich lads.

Anyway if no one complains, Rob will probably feel that nothing is wrong with things, but season after season we have a reserve that scores nothing, and the guy is never dropped, other teams like Peterborough bin riders that are never performing, but we never make changes and just accept it, but it surely must piss off other supporters just as much as myself, I would love for Matt Phillips to turn things round, but he is getting worse if anything, he should pack racing in if he is so far behind others.

I'd love "Matt Phillips" to be doing tons better for us !...but he doesn't ride for us  !????  

On Friday while I'm on; it was the biggest home defeat I have witnessed in 40+ years of watching "my team" across Bradford/Halifax and now Scunthorpe. At 13 heats there was still hope I might get away with equalling the worst ever ! As the score standing 26-51 actually matched Bradford Barons Home spanking by the all conquering Birmingham Brummies in 1974. Alas it wasn't to be and the 30-59 ensured it made "my record book". Using the old "13 Heat factor" that's near as  damn it 24-54 which might have done justice to the "legendary" Scunny Saints 72 ? But I think they went down 19-59 at home to all conquering Crewe Kings at Quibell as I recall. Non the less Friday was up there with the worst of things.

To be fair Ipswich had a few EWR exponents in that team plus a fantastic 16 year old in Drew Kemp who's performance had me harking back to PC and Mike Lee as teenage debutants I'm the 70s !. Boy ! coz that's what he is; boy is he a prospect. Lightening off the start; fast and controlled on the bike. Did you see him almost come to grief on turn four ! before putting the back wheel in the fence bringing it down; then getting back upright and carrying on ! That was masterful and demonstrated no little skill on a motorcycle. Then throw in Scotty Nicholls riding like a 16 year old ! Covatti and Heeps always like the EWR and it was evident from the off we were in trouble.

You cannot lay the blame at our riders for me they're as brave as they come. You just cannot take all these injuries and construct anything out of a season. It's just not sustainable; Stevie and Stefan shouldn't probably be out there; Stefan the more so. Then we minus our two most consistent performers Josh and Jake. Jason manfully tried to plug the gaps but he's not always finding what he wants out there and for sure Danny has found things very tough although I can't fault him for sticking with it. Gino's promised much but again injury and personal worries have meant we haven't seen the very best of him. But cannot fault him for "hanging in" there battling the set backs. 

Rob apologised countless times and I accept it; he and the Management tirelessly work to put the show on and sadly they're unstinting efforts haven't paid off on the track. Mostly we see great racing at the EWR; so hey we can forgive the odd stinker ...well I can.

When we started out this team should have been right up there challenging and it would have been but for the brutal way Speedway can pay you back ! 

If at the end of the season we are all still standing; we can reflect; regroup and take a view into 2019. Speedway's future is once again "up in the air" which raises questions about Scunthorpes future I'm sure. The sport at Prem/Champ level just doesn't know what it wants to be ? The Grand Prix and National League are doing their job and to me doing it well. It's the "bit in the middle"; arguably the "very staple" of Speedway in the UK that needs a viable plan to survive and to appeal to paying public. By all accounts Speedway officialdom is already laying out a plan for 2019. Whatever they come up has to address the chaotic nature of things across the two main domestic leagues and just make things work better for promoters; riders and fans because we all want Speedway to be the very  best that it can be. It still can be "The Greatest Show On Earth"

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2018 by the outsider

[bigcatdiary]

1 hour ago, the outsider said:

I'd love "Matt Phillips" to be doing tons better for us !...but he doesn't ride for us  !????  

On Friday while I'm on; it was the biggest home defeat I have witnessed in 40+ years of watching "my team" across Bradford/Halifax and now Scunthorpe. At 13 heats there was still hope I might get away with equalling the worst ever ! As the score standing 26-51 actually matched Bradford Barons Home spanking by the all conquering Birmingham Brummies in 1974. Alas it wasn't to be and the 30-59 ensured it made "my record book". Using the old "13 Heat factor" that's near as  damn it 24-54 which might have done justice to the "legendary" Scunny Saints 72 ? But I think they went down 19-59 at home to all conquering Crewe Kings at Quibell as I recall. Non the less Friday was up there with the worst of things.

To be fair Ipswich had a few EWR exponents in that team plus a fantastic 16 year old in Drew Kemp who's performance had me harking back to PC and Mike Lee as teenage debutants I'm the 70s !. Boy ! coz that's what he is; boy is he a prospect. Lightening off the start; fast and controlled on the bike. Did you see him almost come to grief on turn four ! before putting the back wheel in the fence bringing it down; then getting back upright and carrying on ! That was masterful and demonstrated no little skill on a motorcycle. Then throw in Scotty Nicholls riding like a 16 year old ! Covatti and Heeps always like the EWR and it was evident from the off we were in trouble.

You cannot lay the blame at our riders for me they're as brave as they come. You just cannot take all these injuries and construct anything out of a season. It's just not sustainable; Stevie and Stefan shouldn't probably be out there; Stefan the more so. Then we minus our two most consistent performers Josh and Jake. Jason manfully tried to plug the gaps but he's not always finding what he wants out there and for sure Danny has found things very tough although I can't fault him for sticking with it. Gino's promised much but again injury and personal worries have meant we haven't seen the very best of him. But cannot fault him for "hanging in" there battling the set backs. 

Rob apologised countless times and I accept it; he and the Management tirelessly work to put the show on and sadly they're unstinting efforts haven't paid off on the track. Mostly we see great racing at the EWR; so hey we can forgive the odd stinker ...well I can.

When we started out this team should have been right up there challenging and it would have been but for the brutal way Speedway can pay you back ! 

If at the end of the season we are all still standing; we can reflect; regroup and take a view into 2019. Speedway's future is once again "up in the air" which raises questions about Scunthorpes future I'm sure. The sport at Prem/Champ level just doesn't know what it wants to be ? The Grand Prix and National League are doing their job and to me doing it well. It's the "bit in the middle"; arguably the "very staple" of Speedway in the UK that needs a viable plan to survive and to appeal to paying public. By all accounts Speedway officialdom is already laying out a plan for 2019. Whatever they come up has to address the chaotic nature of things across the two main domestic leagues and just make things work better for promoters; riders and fans because we all want Speedway to be the very  best that it can be. It still can be "The Greatest Show On Earth"

 

 

 

Scunthorpe 19-59 Peterborough 1973

 

I remember it well but as you say it was at Quibell Park

[New era Panthers]

1 hour ago, bigcatdiary said:

Scunthorpe 19-59 Peterborough 1973

 

I remember it well but as you say it was at Quibell Park

Yes I was there too it was a very wet bank holiday Monday  meeting    should have started at 3pm but was put back to 7pm whilst they got the track sorted, Brian Clark was one of those getting a 4 ride maximum he was also instrumental in getting the rest of the team to deflate tyres as it would ride better with low tyre pressure .

[Guest WTF1]

3 hours ago, New era Panthers said:

Yes I was there too it was a very wet bank holiday Monday  meeting    should have started at 3pm but was put back to 7pm whilst they got the track sorted, Brian Clark was one of those getting a 4 ride maximum he was also instrumental in getting the rest of the team to deflate tyres as it would ride better with low tyre pressure .

remember them well although it was expected as we usually had a poor team although we never moaned as it was such a good laugh and day out,  I think I remember Scunny having one of the biggest collapses  when they were leading table topping Workington 29-13 after 7 heats and with matches then over 13 heats ended up losing 37-41 but happy days .