Comets were already due to be without the injured Thomas Jorgensen when Ty Proctor’s withdrawal due to illness left it looking like a long night.
But the four remaining Comets and guests Ryan Douglas and Tom Woolley dug deep to send the Tigers home with their tails between their legs.
Team manager Tony Jackson said: “The turning point was Matt Williamson’s fantastic ride in heat 13 which was far and away the best he’s ever ridden for Workington. I couldn’t be prouder of the lads.
“We’re so grateful to Ryan Douglas for helping us out at the last minute because we only sorted that out at 11.30am.
“At the end of the day, the fans have been entertained and we’ve got a great win.”
Richard Lawson looked to have beaten Craig Cook to the first bend in the opening heat but the race was pulled back with all four riders as Douglas fell, then it was called back again as the Workington No.1 was warned for moving at the start.
Lawson got the better of his opposite number from the gate again in the second re-run to become the fastest visitor to Derwent Park this season, with Cook second and Douglas third to share the points.
James Sarjeant jumped the start in the second heat and was warned for his troubles but he nailed it in the re-run, leaving Alfie Bowtell for dead while Woolley was third as Ryan MacDonald fell.
Tigers duo Richie Worrall and Dan Bewley blasted away from the tapes in heat three, with Mason Campton and Matt Williamson nowhere near as Worrall rounded his team-mate on the final bend for the win in an away 5-1.
Aaron Summers won heat four at a canter, with Douglas comfortable behind him and Bowtell holding off a strong challenge from Woolley for a Glasgow 4-2.
A strung-out heat five saw Lawson capitalise as Campton and Williamson almost got tangled up on the first bend, before Cook charged to the front of heat six and Douglas weaved through the pack to pass him in a home 5-1 to level the scores.
Maryport rider Bewley looked sensational in heat seven but Cook somehow looked even better, cruising round after shutting the door on the youngster while Worrall trailed in third.
Douglas then notched his second win in a row, keeping Bewley at bay as Sarjeant struggled at the back behind Bowtell in a shared heat.
Comets were on a 5-1 after a stunning first-lap pass from Campton in heat nine, but the Australian overshot it and slid under the airfence on the third bend. With his partner out, Williamson split the Tigers pair to limit them to a 4-2.
In heat 10, it was Cook’s turn to slot between a Glasgow duo, pushing Worrall all the way with Bewley third for another away 4-2.
Lawson then got away with one as he broke the tapes but the green light hadn’t been put on so he escaped without an exclusion. Sarjeant got an unbelievable start in the re-run but Lawson’s was even quicker and Campton eventually passed his team-mate in a 3-3.
Campton clamped Bowtell to the inside in heat 12 which allowed Sarjeant to romp up the inside. Worrall came back and managed to edge between the pair but some impressive blocking kept the Tiger behind.
Comets gated on a 5-1 in heat 13 and, with Cook long gone, Williamson rode the race of his life to pip Lawson after reading his every move to wild cheers from the home crowd as the scores finally tipped in Workington’s favour.
Williamson was at the front again in heat 14 but Bewley managed to squeeze past on the third bend and was comfortable from then, with Sarjeant third for a 3-3 to set up a last heat decider.
Cook muscled his way past Lawson to lead the final heat and Campton followed the pair for a 4-2 which confirmed a Comets win which gave the Workington faithful something to savour.
HEAT 2 (RERUN) – Sarjeant, Bowtell, Woolley, MacDonald (fell) – 66, 4-2, 7-5
HEAT 3 – Worrall, Bewley, Campton, Williamson – 63.9, 1-5, 8-10
HEAT 4 – Summers, Douglas, Bowtell, Woolley – 65.7, 2-4, 10-14
HEAT 5 – Lawson, Campton, Williamson, MacDonald – 65.2, 3-3, 13-17
HEAT 6 – Douglas, Cook, Summers, Bowtell – 65.8, 5-1, 18-18
HEAT 7 – Cook, Bewley, Worrall, Woolley – 63.2, 3-3, 21-21
HEAT 8 – Douglas, Bewley, Bowtell, Sarjeant – 66, 3-3, 24-24
HEAT 9 (RERUN) – Summers, Williamson, MacDonald, Campton (fell excluded) – 66.9, 2-4, 26-28
HEAT 10 – Worrall, Cook, Bewley, Douglas – 64.9, 2-4, 28-32
HEAT 11 – Lawson, Campton, Sarjeant, MacDonald – 65.8, 3-3, 31-35
HEAT 12 – Campton, Worrall, Sarjeant, Bowtell – 67, 4-2, 35-37
HEAT 13 – Cook, Williamson, Lawson, Summers – 65, 5-1, 40-38
HEAT 14 – Bewley, Williamson, Sarjeant, Bowtell – 67.5, 3-3, 43-41
HEAT 15 – Cook, Lawson, Campton, Worrall – 66, 4-2, 47-43
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