Workington Comets put up a gritty display at champions Glasgow Tigers when they opened their Championship programme.
The Tigers won 47-43, which gives the Comets high hopes of taking the aggregate point when they race the return at Northside.
The Comets top five all won a heat, indeed guest Dan Thompson of Plymouth Gladiators managed two race wins and completed a good stint with nine points and a bonus.
That was only topped by Craig Cook, the in-form Comets skipper and a former Glasgow rider who finished with 10 and a bonus from his five rides.
The rest of the top five all made solid contributions – Tate Zischke (7 + 1), Claus Vissing (8 + 1) and Troy Batchelor (7 + 1) so that the Comets were always within touching distance, although they were never in the lead throughout the meeting.
It hadn’t started too well for the visitors as Glasgow had wrapped-up 5-1s in the first two heats but that was the biggest lead they had in the meeting.
Workington fashioned four heat advantages, two of them big 5-1s, and they also shared the race points in five other heats.
But the Comets were short of points at reserve where they were out-scored 11-2 and the two points came from two thirds for Celina Liebmann.
Former Grand Prix rider Chris Harris was the star of the show as he raced to a five ride 15 point maximum for the Tigers.
Two of the Glasgow riders will be guesting for Workington this afternoon when they host Redcar Bears in the second leg of the BSN Series quarter final.
The Comets are chasing a 13-point deficit from the first leg and hope that James Pearson and Paul Starke will provide the cover for Antti Vuolas and Celina Liebmann which can help create a victory.
Pearson scored seven and two bonus points while Starke earned two and two bonus points.
Glasgow Tigers 47
Chris Harris 15; James Pearson 7 + 2; Leon Flint 9; Paul Starke 2 + 2; Steve Worrall 3; Fredd Hodder 3; Jack Smith 8 + 1.
Workington Comets 43
Craig Cook 10 + 1; Tate Zischke 7 + 1; Dan Thompson 9 + 1; Claus Vissing 8 + 1; Troy Batchelor 7 + 1; Sam McGurk 0; Celina Liebmann 2 + 1.
