LEICESTER ended Scunthorpe’s unbeaten home league record with a stunning 51-39 victory on Friday night.
The visitors made a terrible start, though, conceding a 5-1 in the opening race. And despite Zaine Kennedy winning the next heat, Leicester were unable to cut the deficit until Heat 3 with Aaron Summers and Kyle Howarth getting a 4-2.
Scunthorpe extended their lead again in Heat 5 with guest Connor Mountain taking the win while Theo Pijper beat Hans Andersen for second.
The Lions responded with a 4-2 in the next race, but the hosts extended their lead to six points with a 5-1 in Heat 8.
Leicester team manager Stewart Dickson put skipper Howarth on a tactical substitute ride in the next race which ended as a Lions’ 4-2. And then the visitors levelled the scores in Heat 10 with Howarth passing Josh MacDonald to complete the 5-1 alongside Summers.
With momentum now with the Lions they put the Scorpions under the pump with back-to-back 5-1’s after the interval to put themselves eight points clear with two heats remaining.
First Aussie duo Summers and Kennedy got a 5-1 in Heat 12.
And then Andersen and Douglas got the better of Adam Ellis and Jorgensen in the next race.
Despite the Scorpions putting Jorgensen in as a tactical substitute in Heat 14, a shared heat secured the win for the Lions before Aussie pair Douglas and Summers guaranteed all four points with 5-1 in the last race.
Delighted Leicester boss Stewart Dickson said: “We found ourselves six points down halfway through the meeting and despite getting a 4-2 in Heat 9, the interval gave us time to talk to the riders.
“We came out hungry and we responded really well to the ideas and thoughts that we discussed during the break. The back-to-back heat advantages was the turning point for us. We had the hunger and it was a real team effort so we go onto Glasgow tomorrow on a high.”
SCUNTHORPE 39: Connor Mountain 9, Simon Lambert 8+2, Thomas Jorgensen 6+2, Theo Pijper 6+1, Adam Ellis 5, Josh MacDonald 5, Jordan Palin r/r
LEICESTER 51: Ryan Douglas 13+1, Aaron Summers 11+1, Zaine Kennedy 10+1, Kyle Howarth 8+2, Hans Andersen 8+1, Joe Thompson 1, Dan Thompson 0
