Peterborough 45 Workington Comets 48: Workington Comets secured a pivotal first away Premier League win of the season at Peterborough in nail-biting fashion to keep their play-offs dream alive.

A statement of intent in the opening heat saw Ricky Wells produce a captain’s ride to beat the tenacious Craig Cook, who edged past Mason Campton to give the visitors a 4-2 lead.

It got better with a Workington 5-1 in heat two, Adam Roynon leading from the gate while Matt Williamson swept around Daniel Halsey to join him at the front.

Rasmus Jensen and Kenneth Hansen fired Comets 10 points ahead with a stylish 5-1 in heat three, despite the best efforts of Anders Thomsen.

The hosts’ eagerly anticipated return of Kenneth Bjerre was spoiled by a confident ride from Claus Vissing in heat four, while Williamson was third to the flag for another 4-2 to make it 18-6 to Workington.

Wells was too eager at the start in heat five with all four riders called back for a rerun and the Panthers capitalised through a 4-2 courtesy of Thomsen and Ulrich Ostergaard.

West Cumbrian racer and former Comet Cook donned the black and white helmet on a tactical ride in heat six and the away side were dealt a blow when Roynon fell and was excluded while third. Vissing made the start in the rerun but Cook wasn’t going to be beaten and stormed past the Dane, for a home 7-2 to halve Comets’ lead.

The gap was maintained as Hansen and Jensen stood firm behind Bjerre in heat seven to share the points, before Williamson rode brilliantly to beat Hall, who just pipped Campton to second, for a 4-2 to put Comets seven points up.

Vissing could only limit Peterborough to a 4-2 as he split Thomsen and Ostergaard in heat nine, before Hansen and Jensen trailed Cook in a heat 10 draw.

Knight fell and was excluded in heat 11 but Bjerre controlled the run ahead of Wells and Campton to make it 37-32 to Workington with four heats to go.

Hansen threw another spanner in the works for the Panthers with a stunning win in heat 12, leaving Ostergaard and Williamson behind in a Comets 4-2.

Bjerre and Cook then scored a huge 5-1 in heat 13 to cut Comets’ lead to just three points with two races left.

But a composed ride from Jensen saw him hold off Thomsen with Williamson slotting into third as a 4-2 gifted Comets the three points on the night.

Cook was untouchable in the final heat but a fine performance from Hansen split him from Bjerre as Workington showed they are still fighting to extend their season.

PETERBOROUGH 45: Craig Cook 16+1, Kenneth Bjerre 12, Anders Thomsen 9, Ulrich Ostergaard 4, Richard Hall 3, Jake Knight 1, Daniel Halsey 0

WORKINGTON COMETS 48: Kenneth Hansen 11+1, Rasmus Jensen 8+2, Matt Williamson 8+1, Ricky Wells 8, Claus Vissing 7, Mason Campton 3+1, Adam Roynon 3

Premier League points: Peterborough 0 Workington 3