Workington Comets fans will have plenty to interest them tonight in the Cab Direct Championship clash between Redcar and Scunthorpe at the ECCO Arena.
The Bears again have Luke Harrison deputising for injury victim Jake Mulford at reserve, whilst Connor Bailey makes his first home appearance since being crowned British Under-21 Champion.
Harrison, recently turned 16, has just started sampling Championship speedway after being limited to National Development League action with the Comets.
Australian Bailey, the Comets number one in the NDL, said: “Hopefully winning the U21s will help me to keep improving. In these last few weeks I have picked up and hopefully that upward trajectory can continue as we move towards the business end of the season.
“It’s always the same with Redcar, everyone likes to ride there! We are up for the meeting and I’m hoping I can recreate the speed I’ve had in the last couple of meetings and get some more points on the board.”
However the Scorpions will be confident of taking the aggregate point as they won the reverse fixture 55-35, and they will operate rider replacement for the injured Michael Palm Toft.
There’s more Workington interest as most fans will remember Charles Wright when he rode for the Comets for four years. He currently doubles up with Redcar and Belle Vue Aces in the top flight.
Last night Wright and Bailey, along with West Cumbrian Dan Bewley, were in the Belle Vue side which lost 50-40 at Sheffield in a Premiership clash. On a disappointing night they only scored ten points and five bonus between them.
Bailey (4 +2), Bewley (3 + 2) and Wright (3 + 1) all struggled at Owlerton where Jaimon Lidsey top-scored for the Aces with ten.
Belle Vue’s Norick Blodorn, who scored seven, said: “Up until Heat 11 we were very much in the mix and though we did fall away in those last three heats, I think we were far more competitive here than we have been before.
“A couple of the boys had some issues and struggled a little bit and had that not been the case, maybe we could’ve held on for the win. It’s unfortunate but it is what it is.
“I think we were just unlucky in those last few races, as I say. Credit to Sheffield, they put up a very tough fight and it means the return leg in Manchester will be all the more interesting.”Tigers boss Simon Stead, another former Comets favourite, said: “It was as tough as I expected it to be.
“But we knuckled down, finished the meeting strongly, as we have been doing, and made it a reasonable scoreline to take to Belle Vue.
“I’m happy with that, I’m happy with the fight that we showed, because it was tough early doors, I’m pleased with the effort and I’m pleased with the determination.”
