Former Workington Comets riders enjoyed a profitable Good Friday as they were among the points for their latest clubs.
Craig Cook (Edinburgh), Charles Wright (Redcar) and Richard Lawson (Poole) were all top scorers on a busy Good Friday of action.
Edinburgh clinched a BSN Series victory over rivals Glasgow with a 5-1 in a last-heat decider at Armadale.
The derby clash went down to the wire with returning Monarchs star Craig Cook making a crucial contribution against his former club, as he combined with skipper Josh Pickering in the vital race.
The Tigers had come back into contention with a 5-1 in Heat 14 from Chris Harris and Claus Vissing to narrow the gap to two points, but Cook hit the front in the decider before Pickering roared past Harris and Tom Brennan on the second lap to complete a 48-42 victory.
Cook scored 14 for the home side, a total matched by Harris for the visitors from six rides.
West Cumbrian Cook said: “I enjoyed the match and was happy with my bike, it felt really comfortable though it wasn’t driving as I wanted from the starts.
Poole completed the perfect start to the BSN Series with an emphatic 57-33 win over Oxford at a packed Wimborne Road.
The Pirates delivered a superb all-round team performance with all of their riders taking at least one paid win. Cumbrian ex-Comet Richard Lawson led the way with 13+1 and Ben Cook added 11+2.
Reserves Kyle Newman and another ex-Comet Roynon contributed 15+3 between them as the home side ran just three last places, whilst the Cheetahs’ score-chart was dominated by Sam Masters who won his first four rides and finished with 15 from six.
The result gives Poole a maximum five points from two matches, including the aggregate point against the Cheetahs, and leaves them strongly placed in the Southern group.
Team boss Neil Middleditch said: “That was solid, but I have always said that reserves win meetings, and with the two we have this season then I don’t believe there are any better in this
Scunthorpe raced to a 50-40 win over Redcar in a BSN Series match filled with good action at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
The Scorpions established their ten-point lead after six races and held it for much of the meeting, only being given a scare when former Workington rider Charles Wright and Jason Edwards recorded a 5-1 for the Bears in Heat 12.
But the home side hit back with a 4-2 and a 5-1 in the next two races to ensure they opened the season with a victory.
Ryan Douglas scored 14 for the home side, beaten only by Wright in Heat 15, and Jake Allen added three wins for 10+1.
Wright, who had been expected to miss the meeting with illness, also scored 14 from five rides as the Bears raced without the unwell Erik Riss.
Scorpions boss Dave Peet said: “We put in an excellent team performance, with everyone playing their part.
“I was really impressed, because some of our lads hadn’t had a competitive skid this year, whereas Redcar had already had two home meetings.
“We could have ended up with even more points, but a 10-point lead is a good lead, and we usually go well around Redcar. We have every chance of an aggregate bonus point when we go there on April 28, because those could prove to be important in the BSN Series.
“I feel that we’re ready to take on anybody this season.”
Two of the new Workington Comets side, preparing to launch in the National Development League in May, were also involved on Good Friday.
Number two Connor Bailey, who will ride at number one for the Comets, scored one from his three rides for Redcar at Scunthorpe while at reserve Ace Pijper also picked-up a point for Glasgow at Edinburgh.
Pijper finished third in the reserves race, beating Edinburgh’s former Comet Kyle Bickley who went on to also score one point.
