Comets restore balance after raid on Diamonds

Last updated 20:45, Wednesday, 16 April 2008

Newcastle Diamonds 42 Comets 48: After dropping a home point to King’s Lynn on Saturday, Workington Comets restored the balance with a splendid win at Newcastle on Sunday.

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Kauko Nieminen in action at Brough Park

Pocketing three points now from away victories, with nothing for aggregate advantages, the teams who can be successful on their travels will be leading contenders for Premier League honours.

John Branney, who knows the Brough Park track well, was one of the heroes for the Comets at reserve with a nine-point haul which included two wins.

Although Saturday’s rider of the night Charles Wright struggled and failed to score, while Scott Smith continues to find points hard to come by, Branney’s fellow reserve Joe Haines made a solid contribution with six points.

The Comets were well-served by their three heat leaders, who were all in double figures, and the team conceded only three heat advantages in the meeting.

Team manager Ian Thomas said: “We were delighted to get our first away win because it made up for the disappointment of dropping a point to King’s Lynn the night before.

“I think what made the victory even more impressive was the fact that Newcastle had won their previous home match 63-27 against Sheffield so to go there and turn them over was quite an achievement.

“Full marks to Newcastle for getting the meeting on, though, and it was nice to watch a speedway meeting under blue skies.

“The track was under water in the morning so they really had to work hard to get it on and if there had been any rain at all during the day it would have been off.”

Because of the way the rides are programmed there has been a concern that the Comets would be weak in heats two, eight and fourteen but against the Diamonds they out-scored the opposition in those three races.

Branney and Haines raced to a 5-1 in the reserve clash and although they conceded a 4-2 in heat eight Newcastle were aided by the rider replacement facility for the injured George Stancl.

But the Comets claimed a 4-2 in the penultimate heat thanks again to the efforts of Branney and Haines.

Thomas said: “We actually beat them 11-7 in those three crucial races and that was another encouraging feature of the meeting.”

The Comets were never behind from when Branney (who used to ride Conference League for the Diamonds at Brough Park, now renamed the Newcastle Stadium) and Haines fashioned their 5-1 in race two.

They provided nine neat winners, led by skipper Kauko Nieminen who finished as top scorer with 11 points and two bonus.

Daniel Nermark, who had proved virtually unbeatable until this week-end, was beaten by Josef Franc, Jason King and Christian Henry but was still able to finish the meeting with eleven points.

The third heat leader, Carl Stonehewer, who had one of his quietest meetings against King’s Lynn, was back in business with two wins and two second places for his ten points.

TEAMS AND SCORERS

Newcastle Diamonds: Josef Franc 11; rider replacement for George Stancl; Christian Henry 11; Ben Powell 4; Jason King 6; Jamie Robertson 6; Sean Stoddart 4.

Workington Comets: Daniel Nermark 11; Scott Smith 1; Carl Stonehewer 10; Charles Wright 0; Kauko Nieminen 11; Joe Haines 6; John Branney 9.