With racing of the highest order and a result that could have gone any way until the last of the 15 races, the meeting was pure drama.

In the end the Henderson Insurance Scunthorpe Scorpions were edged out 47-43 by their local rivals, the Sheffield Tigers.

The meeting started with Sheffield quickly racing to a ten-point lead by heat four. Former Scorpion Paul Cooper joined with Joel Parsons for a Tigers’ 5-1 in heat 1 before the visitors’ guest rider Josh Grajczonek, in for the injured Lee Smethills, went from third to first in heat 2 to ensure the Scorpions didn’t close the gap.

Emiliano Sanchez rode well to pass Andre Compton in heat 3 but then fell whilst chasing Parsons for the lead and the Scorpions had conceded another 5-1. Grajczonek fought his way from last to first in heat 4 whilst Ben Powell did limit the damage a little by passing Ben Wilson on the last lap. It still meant a 4-2 to the Tigers and they were suddenly ten points up at 17-7.

With Cooper and Compton in heat 5 Team Manager Kenny Smith decided not to use his tactical ride but must have rued it afterwards as Emiliano Sanchez and Magnus Karlsson recorded a 5-1. A further maximum heat win followed in the next race with Viktor Bergström and Richard Hall getting the better of Wilson and Kyle Hughes. The gap was now just two points and three drawn heats followed.

The match was finally level after heat 10 when Richard Hall scorched away to victory whilst Ben Powell lost his battle to Joel Parsons after they had virtually been neck and neck for nearly two laps. It still gave the Scorpions a 4-2 and the match was beautifully balanced at 30-30. Sadly the Tigers registered their third and final 5-1 of the night in heat 12 but the Scorpions hit back, with one of their own, through Carl Wilkinson and Richard Hall in heat 13 to tie the match up once again. Hall’s pass of Cooper on the third lap was of the highest order and the heat result certainly gave Scorpions’ fans hope of snatching a victory.

Unfortunately Ben Powell lost another great battle with Parsons in heat 14 whilst Hughes kept Emiliano Sanchez at the back to give the Tigers a 43-41 advantage going into the last race. Unsurprisingly the Scorpions nominated Carl Wilkinson and Richard Hall, the pairing that had done so well just two races earlier whilst Sheffield used Andre Compton and Joel Parsons.

The Tigers won the toss for gate positions and they put it to full use by leading from the tapes.

With Compton pulling away the Scorpions set about Parsons. Carl Wilkinson exchanged positions with him for a couple of laps before pulling clear but there wasn’t enough time for Richard Hall to join him.

It would have been immaterial as Compton won well and for the third time this season the Tigers had edged out the Scorpions on their own track.

The Scorpions are next in action, along with the Conference League Saints side, in a double-header meeting on Bank Holiday Monday (25th August, start time 3pm).