PLYMOUTH Devils rounded off their season on a winning note when they beat Scunthorpe 48-42 following a last heat decider in Saturday’s Premier League match at the St Boniface Arena.

Despite being without skipper Kyle Newman and number one Jack Holder, the Devils had enough overall strength to withstand a determined challenge from Scunthorpe in a closely contested match.

Plymouth took a four-point lead into the final race where a win by Sam Simota ensured an overall victory for the Devils. But Stefan Nielsen suffered a broken seat bracket, allowing Michael Palm Toft to grab second place, which enabled Scunthorpe to collect a consolation away point as a reward for their efforts.

Plymouth team manager Lee Trigger said: “It is good to go into the close season on the back of a home win. A 5-1 for us in the last race would have sent Scunthorpe away with nothing. But our priority was to make sure we finished with a win.

“There were some good scores throughout the team for us and we made full use of the rider replacement facility for Jack Holder by scoring nine (paid 10) from the four rides.”

Holder missed the meeting because he could not get back in time from a Friday meeting in the Czech Republic. Newman was also ruled out because of injuries to his knee and back, received at Swindon on Thursday, and Berwick’s Kevin Doolan came in as a guest replacement.

Trigger added: “Although Kyle could not ride it was good that he came down for the evening and played a captain’s role by talking to the riders in the pits during the meeting.”

Plymouth: Rider replacement for Jack Holder, Kevin Doolan 4+2 (4 rides), Stefan Nielsen 9+1 (6), Sam Simota 13+1 (6), Todd Kurtz 8+2 (5). Reserves: Steve Boxall 10+1 (6), Ellis Perks 4+1 (3).

Scunthorpe: Rider replacement for Josh Auty, Michael Palm Toft 13 (6), Lewis Kerr 10+1 (6), Fritz Wallner 7+1 (5), Ryan Douglas 8 (5). Reserves: Richard Andrews 2+2 (4), Connor Coles 2 (4).