Last updated at 12:18, Friday, 19 October 2012

Workington Comets skipper Richard Lawson is out of tonight’s crucial play-off match with Edinburgh.

Fifth year at Derwent Park: Comets’ Richard Lawson in action and inset

Lawson, who has been an ever-present this season, dislocated his shoulder against Newcastle and, despite medics’ best efforts, he has failed to recover in time.

Ex-Edinburgh rider Aaron Summers will guest for Lawson and if the Maryport ace fails to make tomorrow’s Knock-Out Cup semi-final second leg against Newcastle, former Comet and newly crowned Premier League Riders Champion Craig Cook will step in.

The news is more encouraging on Rene Bach who is fit following his spectacular crash at the Riders Championship on Sunday. Bach was thrown from his bike and it caused him to miss the first leg against Newcastle later that evening.

Team manager Tony Jackson said Comets have a better chance of progressing in the Knock-Out Cup, where they must overturn an 18-point deficit, rather than the play-off match with Edinburgh, due to their dismal record at Armadale.

Jackson said: “Edinburgh is not one of our favourite places but we will be giving it everything we can to beat them. I am a lot more confident against Newcastle and if Richard and Rene hadn’t got hurt and the referee hadn’t made a dodgy decision in heat eight, which cost us four points, we would have right in it and been within 10 points.

“Every time we have been away at Newcastle the score has flattered them.”

Jackson said one of the weekend’s highlights was the return of Adam Roynon, who scored a paid 11 points against Edinburgh and 15 at Newcastle. However, he has also bemoaned the bad luck Comets have suffered this season with a catalogue of injuries and rain offs.

He added: “The injuries have caught up with us in the last few weeks because when we lost Kenny Ingalls it upset the balance of the team and put extra strain on them using rider replacement every week.”

First published at 11:50, Friday, 19 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk