Workington Comets number one Connor Bailey has been reflecting on a good personal debut and an opening day one for the reformed team.
The Comets, riding competitively for the first time in nearly five years, defeated Edinburgh 53-37 in the National Development League at the redesigned Northside track.
There was a 30 minute delay to proceedings in order to allow an estimated 2,500 crowd into Northside, and the new era for the Cumbrian club ended with a comfortable home victory.
Australian Bailey had been on the receiving end of a 5-1 in Heat 1 as the Monarchs Academy started well, but he won his remaining four rides for a 13-point score, and Sam McGurk picked up 12+1. Kyle Bickley top-scored for the visitors with 10+1.
Bailey said: “It was a good opener. I started a bit rocky in my first one, but I made up for it in the end. I didn’t miss a gate all day after that, so I can’t complain with that.
“We were trailing at one point and then we just all remembered how to do it, found our footing and took off from there. It was a good opening match with a great crowd.”
The Comets are next in action at the weekend with a double header against Berwick Bullets – away on Saturday night and at Northside on Sunday afternoon (3pm).
Workington fans will be interested to see how Berwick go today ion their NDL clash with Kent at Iwade.
The Bullets bring in Chris Watts and Jason Garrad as Mason Watson and Josh Embleton are both ruled out injured, and they continue to operate rider replacement for long-term absentee Archie Freeman.
Berwick promoter Gary Flint hopes former Kent rider Jamie Halder, who is now in the top five of the team, can keep up his good start to the season on his old home track.
Flint said: “Jamie’s promotion into the main team is a reflection of just how well he has gone this season, especially on the away tracks.
“We will miss his firepower from reserve but, especially with his season as a Royal last year, he can have a big influence both on track and with his advice to the rest of the team on set-ups and racing lines.”
BERWICK: Connor Coles, Archie Freeman r/r, Jamie Halder, Danny Phillips, Greg Blair, Chris Watts, Jason Garrad.
