By John Walsh

Last updated 10:49, Saturday, 20 September 2008

Workington Comets 59 Stoke Potters 34: Workington Comets duly completed their regulation Premier League season with the comfortable win that had been forecast.

In form: Tomas Topinka (red helmet) racked up 14 points

They still hang on to fourth spot in the play-off qualifiers but Rye House will steal past them if they win their final league match at home next Friday.

The Rockets won 53-40 at Scunthorpe last night to move a point behind the Cumbrians so a win against Newcastle at Hoddesdon will put them into the play-offs – and Comets into the Young Shield.

Team manager Ian Thomas said: “It’s looking very much like the Young Shield for clubs who finish fifth to 12th. The only way we would hang onto fourth – apart from the obvious one of Newcastle pulling-off a surprise win – would be if the meeting is rained off.

“Next Friday is the cut-off point for the season and after that there’s no chance to ride postponed meetings. So any of the Workington fans who want us in the League play-offs should be doing a war dance next Friday.”

There are those fans, however, who will regard Workington’s best chance of winning a seven-man trophy for the first time as an appearance in the Young Shield.

There wasn’t much doubt that Workington were going to win the final League clash, and win it well as they enjoyed heat advantages in the first six races.

Things only turned briefly for Stoke when a brilliant ride by captain Ben Barker, when used as a tactical in heat seven, earned them a 7-2.

Barker tracked Carl Stonehewer most of the way and then surged past on the outside of the last turn to register a brilliant win for his side with Krister Jacobsen adding to the tally with third place.

It was business as usual for the Comets with three more successive heat advantages but two 4-2s and a 3-3 in the last meant that the Potters produced some useful damage limitation in the closing stages to keep the Comets under the 60-point mark.

Workington have missed number one Daniel Nermark but they have certainly struck a rich seam with regular guest replacement Tomas Topinka.

The Czech Republic star collected another paid maximum (14 and one) to lead Workington to a comfortable victory which included race wins for everyone except Joe Haines and John Branney.

Topinka will be riding for the Comets next weekend, guesting at number one in the two Knockout Cup semi-final legs at Edinburgh and the return 24 hours later at Derwent Park.

“You can’t look past him at the moment because he’s done so well for us. The thing that impresses me most, apart from performances on the track, is his complete professionalism. He’s great to deal with, prepares superbly and has fitted into the team brilliantly,” said Thomas.

Topinka was named rider of the night by sponsors J Edgar and son.

Workington skipper Kauko Nieminen had won four in a row – and once again had established the fastest time of the night – until coming unstuck in the last.

He made a poor start but had got back into the race in third and was trying to get round Chris Kerr on the fourth turn of lap two when he got stuck in the deep stuff on the outside and went quickly backwards.

With no way back, the meeting won and Sunday’s big meeting at Sheffield beckoning, the popular skipper accepted the inevitable and opted for a more sedate last two laps.

It was in sharp contrast to his earlier effort in heat five when he soon raced clear and finished in 63.6 to set the third fastest time around Derwent Park.

He already has the second best behind Simon Stead’s track record of 63.2.

He will be looking for a similar performance at Owlerton on Sunday in the Premier League Riders Championship.

MATCH FACTS

Comets 59: Tomas Topinka 14; Charles Wright 9; Kauko Nieminen 12; Joe Haines 6; Carl Stonehewer 10; Ben Taylor 3; John Branney 6.

Stoke Potters 34: Chris Kerr 9; Mark Burrows 1; Ben Barker 11; Krister Jacobsen 4; Andrew Moore 2; Jesper Kristiansen 1; Klaus Jakobsen 6