Workington Comets boss Tony Jackson had cause for celebration despite his side going down 53-38 at Sheffield last night as results elsewhere put the west Cumbrians into the League Cup semi-finals.

A makeshift Comets side was competitive until at the end at Owlerton, when the quality of Simon Stead and Jason Garrity showed with a pair of 5-1s in heats 13 and 15.

Workington guests Ryan Douglas and Michael Palm Toft scored respectably while Adam Roynon was electrifying from reserve with 15 points and three race wins.

Jackson said: "Adam Roynon was superb in by far his best meeting of the season but had engine problems which kept him out of heat 15.

"Considering the team we had with three riders missing it was a good effort at a tough place to come to.

"The track was very slick actually and Ricky Wells said he'd never ridden a Sheffield track like it.

"Mason Campton wasn't well for the last 24 hours and almost didn't come and Matt Williamson struggled but he's just had his engines back from the tuner and said nothing was pulling him out of the bends."

In a somewhat surprising turn of events, highly-rated Newcastle failed to beat Redcar on Teesside to leave Comets top of their League Cup group and into the semi-finals.

Jackson added: "We're still in with a shout of silverware so hopefully we can get a decent draw then you never know what might happen."

Comets are back in action tomorrow night at home to Plymouth (7pm start).