Workington Comets team manager Tony Jackson admitted his side’s away form déjà vu is a concern ahead of a crucial trip to Ipswich tonight (7.30pm start)

The Witches are one of Comets’ closest rivals for a top-six Premier League finish and a play-offs place, and Jackson, who will be absent from tonight’s crunch clash, knows the result could prove pivotal in deciding how their season ends.

Comets are yet to win a league meeting on the road this season with shades of last year’s campaign, when only a draw at Redcar in September prevented them going a full season without league points away from home.

Jackson will be keeping up with the meeting online and said: “Right now there appears to be eight or nine clubs realistically competing for the six play-off places and we are only too aware that we need to pick up more points on the road if we are to be one of the top-six.

“At present it is very reminiscent of last season where we showed great home form but could not turn that into points on the road.”

With regular stand-in manager Steve Whitehead also unavailable, former Rye House boss John Sampford will take control of Comets tonight, while Workington will also use rider replacement for Kenneth Hansen who is riding for his Swedish team.

Jackson said: “John was Rye House team manager for a number of years so he knows the rules and most of the riders.

“It’s going to be tough because we’ve always had one of two extremes at Ipswich.

“We won there in the play-offs the other year but we’ve also been well-beaten there in the past.

“If we can get anything that would be great because they’re one of the teams around us but we know how good they are from how close they pushed us last weekend.”