Workington Comets v Poole Pirates

Report

WORKINGTON made a sensational return to Cab Direct Championship action with a 51-39 win over leaders Poole on Saturday.

The Comets stunned the Pirates by slamming in three successive maximums in the opening three heats, and they controlled the match thereafter.

The closest the visitors came to a comeback was when they reduced the gap to eight points with four races remaining – but Tate Zischke and former Pirates rider Vinnie Foord immediately responded with a 5-1 in the next race.

Zischke top-scored for the Comets with 12+1 and Antti Vuolas added 11+1 with all seven home riders having at least one win or paid win, whilst Richard Lawson piled up 15 from six rides for a Poole side who misfired in other areas.

Workington manager James Denham said: “Credit to the guys, all seven of them worked hard and they wanted it more, and they came from behind in some races as well.

“It was good to see Tate back to his old self, with thanks to Jacob Hook lending him an engine, and this is what we need. We want to keep the ball rolling and take each week as it comes.

“There’s a lot more to come from these guys, and I believe in all seven of them. The better team won the night.”

Poole boss Gary Havelock said: “I was a bit shocked, since I came on board as a manager with Poole I have never seen us start like that. Three 5-1’s against us in the first three races. It was incredible.

“Workington won the toss and went for the best gates so I wasn’t too perturbed at that stage as I thought the gates would come to us and we should be alright, but we just didn’t get to grips with the track all day.

“We knew it was going to be slick, but we didn’t realise it was going to be as slick as it was, and I think a couple of the lads were riding with the wrong set-ups in their early races.”

WORKINGTON 51: Tate Zischke 12+1, Antti Vuolas 11+1, Troy Batchelor 7+2, Fraser Bowes 6+1, Jye Etheridge 5+2, Vinnie Foord 5+2, Jacob Hook 5.
POOLE 39: Richard Lawson 15, Zach Cook 8, Anders Rowe 6, Tobias Thomsen 5+1, Lewis Kerr 2+1, Paul Starke 2, William Cairns 1.

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Photo credit: DAVE PAYNE

Watch the action from Heat 5 (courtesy of www.workingtoncomets.tv)