An action-packed August continues for Workington Comets this weekend as they face three meetings in as many days.
A hard-earned home victory over Oxford Cheetahs last Saturday, by 49 points to 41, saw the Comets end a run of Cab Direct Championship defeats as they finally passed the midway point of their season.
James Denham’s men delivered an impressive late show to overcome the Cheetahs with Antti Vuolas leading the way as he bagged a personal points haul of 11+3. The flying Finn was beaten by an opponent in only one of his five races.
Jye Etheridge, still battered and bruised from a recent spill at Scunthorpe, offered excellent support, along with Jacob Hook, both riders scoring 10+1.
Etheridge was then in ROWE Motor Premiership action on Monday for Sheffield Tigers, who got the better of a Belle Vue Aces outfit featuring his Comets team-mate and compatriot Tate Zischke.
Zischke then went head-to-head with another Workington club mate on Wednesday. He and Jacob Hook made respective guest appearances for Glasgow Tigers and Edinburgh Monarchs in their tasty MAXiCab Knockout Cup quarter-final second leg clash at Ashfield.
Tigers won 58-32 on the night to progress, with Hook and Zischke claiming a novel Comets 5-1 in heat four as they finished first and second, respectively.
Hook was drafted into the Monarchs side for that tie in place of the absent Jonatan Grahn. However, Grahn and Victor Palovaara — who also missed the short trip to Glasgow — both return as Edinburgh host Workington on Friday, before visiting the GT Tyres Arena for a swift return league meeting on Saturday evening (6pm).
Both speedy Swedes are familiar faces to the Comets fans.
Palovaara scored 35+1 points against the Comets across away and home Knockout Cup ties from a reserve berth earlier this year before he inevitably switched to number one.
Grahn, meanwhile, also scored well against the West Cumbrians in those two ties and then collected 8+1 when guesting for Comets in their win over Plymouth Gladiators in June.
The Comets are at full strength for their back-to-back league matches against Edinburgh, as Denham’s side are seeking to make up ground and points with meetings in hand on all other teams in the table as the play-off push intensifies.
Vuolas and Zischke will ride at 3 and 5 respectively for tonight’s fixture at Armadale and Sunday at Oxford, before swapping to 5 and 3 for Saturday’s home return leg.
Edinburgh are third in the current standings, six points behind second placed Glasgow and a further four adrift of leaders Poole Pirates, although the south coast side have raced three more matches than each of their Scottish rivals.
Sunday sees the Comets, take to the track for the third consecutive day at Oxford — who are fifth in the table, two points behind fourth placed Redcar Bears and six behind the Monarchs — the Cheetahs also lost big at Poole on Wednesday in the BSN Series Semi-Final.
The Comets are without Aussie Fraser Bowes on Sunday due to Polish commitments, and at the time of writing are seeking a guest replacement for Bowes which will be confirmed.
The Cheetahs are without their number two, Francis Gusts, so they have drafted in-former Plymouth captain, Ben Barker as replacement.
Comets team boss James Denham said: “The lads showed real grit to get the win over Oxford last week, and we’ll need that same determination for this weekend’s triple-header.
“Edinburgh are in great form in the league and Oxford will be hungry for more points in their playoff push, but with the strength we’ve got across the team and the spirit in the camp right now, we’re ready to take the fight to them and keep our play-off push alive.
“Every point is vital at this stage of the season, and we know we’ve got meetings in hand to make up ground — so the focus is on making them count.
“We’ve got riders in good form, we’re at full strength for the home-and-away clashes with Edinburgh, and there’s a real belief in the team we can do it.
“Saturday’s home meeting at the GT Tyres Arena is a big one for us — we always get that extra lift from our supporters and we’ll be looking to make the most of it. We just need everyone to step up and now is when it matters.”
Saturday’s home fixture against Edinburgh will be streamed live on Comets TV at https://www.workingtoncomets.tv
