Workington Comets enter Bandit country this weekend with a crucial away and home double-header against Berwick.
Sunday’s clash also marks the last regular home league fixture of the season.
As the regular Cab Direct Championship season reaches a thrilling conclusion in the scramble for play-off places, Workington first travel to Berwick’s Shielfield Park on Saturday evening (7pm start).
On Sunday (6pm), James Denham’s Comets will then welcome the Bandits to the GT Tyres Arena at Northside which has become something of a fortress during 2025.
The clash also marks the final regular home fixture of the season, and supporters are urged to turn out in force for what could be their last chance to back the team on home shale this year.
Last Saturday, Denham’s men recorded a crushing 56-34 victory over title-chasing Glasgow Tigers to make it six league wins from seven on home shale so far this season.
On a memorable afternoon, Workington riders flew out of the gates and chalked up 5-1s in the opening three heats before keeping the pressure on their visitors.
Fraser Bowes was in fabulous form, coming away with a whopping 14-point haul, while birthday boy Antti Vuolas finished with 13+1.
Like Bowes, Vuolas was searching for a maximum points haul as the pair lined up in heat 15 — only for visiting top scorer Kyle Howarth to spoil the party and claim what was his only victory of a tough afternoon for the Tigers.
Afterwards, Denham hailed the noisy Northside backing on Saturday from home fans who cheered his team to their second biggest home league win of the season:
“Thanks to everyone who has continued to support us and to new and returning fans. It has made a massive difference to the riders and the club as a whole,” he said.
Supporters are again urged to turn out in force at the GT Tyres Arena on Sunday with Workington currently still in with a mathematical chance of a play-off berth with three meetings remaining. They also visit Redcar Bears next Friday.
If fourth-placed Edinburgh are beaten at Glasgow this Friday in their final meeting, or if Redcar — currently third — suffer a 20-plus point defeat at Scunthorpe, Denham’s side will remain in the hunt when they head to Berwick on Saturday.
Denham will shuffle his back for this trip. Vuolas will ride at number two with guest Kye Thomson occupying a heat leader slot at five. Edinburgh’s Thomson replaces Bowes — who has commitments in Poland — and has a solid record for the Monarchs against Berwick in 2025.
Thomson scored 7+1 at Shielfield Park in early July, and then claimed 10+3 in the return league fixture last month.
Bowes returns for the home meeting, at number two, with Vuolas reverting to five. Denham said: “I decided to change things around so that we could take a bit of pressure off Antti and he will ride with Troy at number two as he has not gone well at Berwick in the past.”
Tate Zischke and Jye Etheridge — who rode for Berwick between 2017 and 2024 — remain together at three and four.
The Bandits will be led out by number one Nick Morris, who replaced former Comet, Craig Cook, when returning to British speedway this summer.
Occupying their other heat leader slots, at three and five, respectively, are new Danish signing Jonas Jeppesen and popular former Workington rider Peter Kildemand, who rode at Derwent Park in 2010 and 2011.
Sam Hagon is at two, skipper Drew Kemp at four with Dayle Wood and Jack Smith their reserves.
Berwick will field the same team on both Saturday and Sunday.
Denham said: “This is a massive weekend for us and the boys are ready to give it everything.
“Berwick is always a tough place to go, but we’ve made a few changes to hopefully strengthen things up and I’m confident they’ll work. “Having Kye step in at five gives us strength in the heat leader position away from home, and with Jye going back to his old track after so many years, he’ll be fired up to put in a big performance.
“Back at our place on Sunday, we know what we’re capable of and we’ll be looking to make the most of our home advantage again and also finish our home campaign with a bang for the fans.
“The atmosphere against Glasgow was fantastic and I can’t thank the fans enough for the backing they gave us — it really lifted the lads and we saw the result. If we can carry that same energy into this weekend, we’ve got every chance of keeping ourselves in the mix but we simply must win our remaining fixtures.
“We’ll fight right to the very end and hopefully give the supporters another couple of big performances to shout about.”
Sunday’s last regular home fixture of the season against Berwick will be streamed live on Comets TV at https://www.workingtoncomets.tv/
