Last updated at 11:58, Monday, 21 May 2012

Workington Comets booked their place in the quarter-finals of the Knock-Out Cup against Leicester but made hard work of overcoming a stubborn Scunthorpe side to do it.

Keith Denham

Workington did most of the hard work on Friday night by beating the Scorpions away but were restricted to only a six point victory at home, a result that would have seem them take only two points if it was a league meeting.

The Comets all scored solidly but did not record one 5-1 heat maximum during the whole meeting meaning they could not pull away from their opponents as easily as they would have liked.

However, a meeting with Leicester in the quarter finals scheduled for the end of June will see a Derwent Park return for former captain Kauko Nieminen and Dane Simon Nielsen.

Comets owner Keith Denham believed the track conditions played a part in the narrow victory. He said: “The track was too good for the away side and their team rode better than us.

“They didn't do too well on their own track but loved it round here.

“They knew what they were doing and making the starts.”

Despite not hitting the heights that he expected of the team, he was full of praise for many of the riders who have stepped up to the plate in recent weeks.

Rene Bach scored in double figures by recording three victories while Gary Irving scored in all but one of his races while Kyle Howarth's efforts deserved more than the four points he got.

First published at 11:25, Monday, 21 May 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk