Comets edge thriller in last heat drama

By John Walsh atDerwent Park

Last updated 09:30, Thursday, 08 May 2008

Workington Comets 46 Rye House Rockets 44: Another last heat decider settled the points at Derwent Park but this one went Workington’s way and they were able to register their first home Premier League win.

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So close: Rye House's Tai Woffinden (green helmet) sandwiched between the Workington pairing of Joe Haines (blue) and Carl Stonehewer (red) as they enter the first corner of heat seven during Saturday's match at Derwent Park

King’s Lynn had done enough in heat 15 last month to earn the draw, but this time a 3-3 was good enough to win the match for the Comets.

It might have been different if a heat maximum had been required but Workington’s number one raced clear of the others to make sure the Comets won the race – and the League points.

It was another case of Workington proving to be the come-back kings – not quite as spectacular as last week’s effort at Stoke, but a good effort nonetheless.

After just six races – four of them won by Rye House riders – the Rockets had a handy 22-14 lead as Workington seemed to be struggling with the track conditions.

But gradually the home side ate away at the Rockets advantage until a hard-earned 5-1 by Kauko Nieminen and Charles Wright had them level by heat nine.

Although they eventually went six points clear it was tightened up and back on a knife edge when Robert Mear and rider replacement Stefan Ekberg took a heat maximum in the penultimate race.

That was definitely not in the script, as several good judges had Workington down to win by 14-plus points.

Going into the last race Workington led 43-41 so anything better than a 3-3 would be good enough to lift the Comets to the points.

Any win will do now, since the scrapping of the bonus point, so it doesn’t matter if you are successful by a single point, just as long as you get there.

Nermark, who had opened the night with a rare third place behind guest Josh Grajczonek and Chris Neath, surged from the gate and blasted out of the first turn to get the lead and that was the race over. Nieminen was manoeuvred out of it on the first bend and was forced to settle at the back. But only a mechanical problem was going to stop Nermark and the Swede raced home well clear of the rest.

Talking of mechanical problems what about Barry Burchatt, the Comets’ new signing thrust into the difficult number two slot for his Workington debut?

He didn’t make the first turn in the very first race of the night as an engine blew, and the same fate befell him in heat six so it had been a fruitless and expensive start for him to his Workington career.

He was replaced by Joe Haines in heat eight but was back out for his third ride in heat ten – riding Nieminen’s bike.

A gritty effort by the 20-year-old, in which he was right on the pace and showing what he could be capable of on the right machinery, earned the Comets a point from third place.

In the context of how the match panned out it was Burchatt’s determination to hold onto third and repel Mear which meant the difference between a win and a draw.

Elsewhere through the Workington team it was solid scoring, rather than spectacular points-earning, which ensured Workington got the important victory.

Nieminen and Carl Stonehewer each had two race wins, while Joe Haines and John Branney produced important victories when they were most needed.

Haines won the reserves race ahead of Branney to give Workington a 5-1 which immediately cancelled out the Rockets’ heat maximum from the first race.

Then in the equally important heat eight it was Branney who produced his best ride of the season so far to beat the impressive Joe Grajczonek and continue Workington’s mid-meeting recovery.

Charles Wright was the only member of the established team members not to win a race but his whole-hearted efforts to finish second to Grajczonek and his own skipper Nieminen, were key rides.

Rye House, the reigning League champions had to use rider replacement for the injured Tommy Allen and had booked Grajczonek to stand-in for Luke Bowen.

They only collected three points from the rider replacement but Glasgow newcomer Grajczonek did a good job as guest with nine points.

Determined to hold onto their League crown, the Rockets will be a tough nut to crack on their own Hoddesdon track on Monday, however they line-up.

Workington Comets 46: Daniel Nermark 12, Barry Burchatt 1, Kauko Nieminen 8, Charles Wright 5, Carl Stonehewer 8, Joe Haines 7, John Branney 5.

Rye House Rockets 44: Chris Neath 4, Josh Grajczonek 9, Tai Woffinden 10, rider replacement for Tommy Allen, Stefan Ekberg 13, Danny Halsey 0, Robert Mear 8.