Workington Comets continued their spirited recovery when they clinched the aggregate point against Championship leaders Poole Pirates.
After some heavy reversals in Dorset last season, the Comets started with a 12-point advantage this time and held on. Despite losing 47-43 it felt like a win on the night as the point was obtained despite injury set-backs.
Tate Zischke pulled-out earlier in the day after damaging his foot on the fence riding in Poland on Tuesday while Vinnie Foord, on his old track, had to withdraw following a crashing fall.
It meant extra rides for everyone throughout the 15 races and it was to Workington’s credit that they shared the points in nine of the heats and enjoyed heat advantages in three others.
It was something of a stop-start meeting, taking over two hours to complete and there were four attempts to get a result from heat six.
In one of those Tobias Thomsen was excluded for bringing down Foord and it appeared that in hitting the track head first the Workington reserve badly bit his tongue which caused his withdrawal.
In four rider replacement changes for the absent Zischke the Comets picked-up 8 + 2 and like Saturday it was a very good return for the side.
It should also be noted that two of the Comets big guns Troy Batchelor (5) and Antti Vuolas (3 + 2) were not among the main contributors and Foord only scored a point from two completed rides before his withdrawal.
The Comets were essentially carried to the splendid bonus point win through the efforts of the Australian trio of Fraser Bowes (13), Jye Etheridge (12 + 2) and Jacob Hook (9 + 2).
On a busy night for them all Bowes and Etheridge each had six rides while Hook was out on track racing seven times.
Poole regulars labelled the Comets as the best visiting side to Wimborne Road this season and it was particularly pleasing for the Workington management that the track had previously been a graveyard for their efforts.
With that sort of performance on the road – and without Zischke and for the most part Foord – it must give the team confidence over the next two months that they can make up ground and challenge for a top four finish.
Bowes was particularly impressive on his first look at the track with three race wins while Etheridge won two heats and was never out of the points in any of his outings.
Comets boss James Denham said: “This was a fantastic result with a patched-up team.
“Losing Tate on the eve of the meeting was always going to be tough, but we covered his rides brilliantly.
“Also losing Vinnie after his second ride was a blow, he’s bit his tongue in the crash and had quite the grisly wound to it but luckily that’s his only injury from a nasty crash.
“Fraser, Jacob and Jye rode their socks off, but in fairness they all dug deep and I feel we could have won the meeting with a bit more luck, but more importantly the team spirit was unbelievable throughout which is key.
“The boys are really making things happen now and I feel the aggregate point is what we deserved over the two legs.”
Poole Pirates 47 (86)
Richard Lawson 13, Tobias Thomsen 1 + 1; Lewis Kerr 11; Zach Cook 7 + 2; Anders Rowe 6 + 1; Paul Starke 3; Williams Cairns 6 + 3.
Workington Comets 43 (94)
Troy Batchelor 5, Fraser Bowes 13, Rider replacement for Tate Zischke, Jye Etheridge 12 + 2; Antti Vuolas 3 + 2; Jacob Hook 9 + 2; Vinnie Foord 1.
