speedway

WORKINGTON Comets will host the biggest meeting in their history when the Premier League Fours come to Derwent Park on Saturday (7pm).

After staging the Best Pairs for four years – winning the title three times – the Comets now switch to the Fours and have been installed as favourites on their own track to lift the crown.

The meeting will involve 40 riders (all eight teams bring a reserve) and be contested over 28 races.

Workington will be aiming to win back the title they have not had the chance to defend since winning in 2001.

The Comets will be in the same semi-final as Reading, Stoke and Berwick while involved in the other half of the draw will be Edinburgh, Glasgow, Rye House and Hull.

Workington’s team will comprise of skipper Carl Stonehewer, Simon Stead, Kauko Nieminen and Aidan Collins with Australian Rusty Harrison named as reserve Comets team manager Ian Thomas said: “It’s a monster meeting for the club and certainly a bigger event to stage than the Pairs.

“Because there are so many riders involved we have to move the pits to the other end of the grandstand which will mean putting-up temporary cover and lighting.

“The format is different to the Pairs with one rider from each club taking part in the races and we have some of the League’s top names taking part.”

The other teams competing against the Comets in Semi Final A are: Reading – Matej Zagar, Danny Bird, Phil Morris, Andrew Appleton. Stoke – Paul Pickering, Jan Staechmann, Alan Mogridge, Robbie Kessler. Berwick – Adam Pietraszko, Adrian Rymel, Claus Kristensen and Josef Franc.

In the other semi-final will be: Edinburgh – Frede Schott, Peter Carr, Rory Schlein, Theo Pijper. Glasgow – Shane Parker, George Stancl, Paul Bentley, James Grieves. Rye House – Brent Werner, Chris Neath, Davey Watt, Scott Robson. Hull – Magnus Karlsson, Ross Brady, Garry Stead, Emil Kramer.

Workington won the Fours at Peterborough in 2001 but have not taken part since – on a technicality in 2002 over Kauko Nieminen’s average and last year because their top four weren’t in the best eight averages in the League.

“We’ve waited a while now for another crack at this event and I think we must have a great chance around our own track,” said Thomas.

On Saturday at Derwent Park King’s Lynn Stars made Workington dig deep to win the bonus point after their own ten-point success at the Norfolk Arena.

With just five heats left to race the Stars were still in contention, trailing by just three points and with both tactical rides unused.

Two successive heat wins for the Comets – which brought a 5-1 and 4-2 – swung the advantage Workington’s way but the outcome all hinged on the two tactical rides.

Adam Allott was charged with going for double points in heat thirteen against Workington’s big two Carl Stonehewer and Simon Stead. But it was Tomas Topinka who offered the threat, splitting the two home stars as Allott didn’t get out of the gate and was left pointless at the back.

A 2-4 deficit from that wasn’t what King’s Lynn team manager John Adams had in mind, and if the Czech star had taken the tactical ride a 4-4 end product might have inspired a tighter finish.

As it was the final throw of the dice – with King’s Lynn 11 points adrift – came in the penultimate race of the night when Shaun Tacey went looking for double points.

He made a great start, too, to lead but was hauled in by Kauko Nieminen and then on the second lap James Wright went from third to first to push the Stars’ rider into third.

It was a terrific effort from the Workington teenager, one of the highlights of the meeting as the match built to an exciting climax.

Even then there might have been controversy when Paul Lee, at the back, took a tumble on the third lap and referee Stuart Wilson awarded the points 5-2 without the need for a re-run.

It was ironic that an awarded race should see the Comets virtually home when a similar call went against them in the last race at the Norfolk Arena in midweek.

Workington Comets 54: Carl Stonehewer 9 + 1; Aidan Collins 6; Rusty Harrison 4 + 1; Kauko Nieminen 6+ 2; Simon Stead 15; James Wright 7 + 2; Brett Woodifield 7.

King Lynn Stars 36: rider replacement for Kevin Doolan; Adam Allott 6; Tom P. Madsen 3; Shaun Tacey 11+ 1; Tomas Topinka 11+ 1; Trevor Harding 2; Paul Lee 3 + 1.

A trainee referee had left the Comets with a tougher task on their for instead of losing Wednesday’s Premier League match 51-44, the Comets went down 52-42 at the Norfolk Arena.

The rookie referee had taken over for the last race of the night, under the watchful eye of match official Barry Richardson, and Workington established a solid 4-2 situation.

Team manager Ian Thomas said: “Stoney was 50 yards clear of Tomas Topinka and Steady was in third when Shaun Tacey fell at the end of the third lap.

“That race should have been awarded but he went for a re-run with Tacey excluded. Unfortunately for us Topinka made the gate and got away from Stoney while Steady’s chain snapped on the line so instead of a 4-2 we were on the wrong end of a 3-2.

“I was surprised that Richardson didn’t over-rule the trainee and award the last race.”

King’s Lynn: Tomas Topinka 15; Shaun Tacey 9; Tom P. Madsen 7; Adam Allott 10; Kevin Doolan 4; Trevor Harding 2; Paul Lee 5.

Workington: Carl Stonehewer 11; Aidan Collins 1; Rusty Harrison 2; Kauko Nieminen 6; Simon Stead 10; James Wright 1; Brett Woodifield 11.