Last updated 19:43, Thursday, 19 June 2008

WORKINGTON Comets produced a remarkable effort on the Isle of Wight this week to reach the semi-final of the Premier League Knockout Cup.

Although beaten 51-43 on the night the Comets went through 96-89 on aggregate to set-up a tasty semi-final clash home and away with in-form Edinburgh Monarchs.

Team manager Ian Thomas was ecstatic, describing the performance as “a brilliant one, up there with our win at Sheffield last month”.

Workington had been given little chance of defending a 15-point lead from the home leg as they were without number one Daniel Nermark and could only replace him with a Conference League rider.

Thomas said: “We thought it would be very tough without Daniel, yet the lads responded brilliantly.

“We were 10-2 behind after two races and it didn’t look promising but they knuckled down and there were some outstanding efforts and some solid ones as well.

“I had to gamble a bit because we were behind on aggregate at one stage but fortunately they came off.”

Workington will meet Edinburgh home and away in the semi-final but dates have yet to be agreed.

Thomas said: “Ideally we want to ride the two matches back-to-back - Friday at Edinburgh and Saturday at Workington - but I don’t know whether it will be possible to arrange them that way.”

And Comets can register another landmark tomorrow - if they beat Glasgow Tigers at Derwent Park they would be top of the Premier League.

Thomas said: “We won at Glasgow quite recently so we are going for a quick double and as Somerset aren’t racing this week we would go above them in the table.”

Meanwhile the full rider line-up for all 10 competing teams in the Premier League Pairs Championship on June 27 has been announced by the BSPA.

Workington already knew their team opponents at the weekend and now the clubs have named their pairs for the popular event being staged at Somerset ahead of the British Grand Prix.

This year clubs could choose any two riders out of their particular top three in the averages.

Workington will be represented by their top pair of Nermark and skipper Kauko Nieminen in a competition where the Comets have a terrific record.

In group two alongside the Comets are: Newcastle - Josef Franc and Christian Henry; Somerset - Jason Doyle and Emil Kramer; Redcar - Gary Havelock and James Grieves; Isle of Wight - Glen Phillips and Jason Bunyan.

Contesting group one will be: Reading - Ulrich Ostergaard and Mark Lemon; Rye House - Chris Neath and Stefan Ekberg; Sheffield - Andre Compton and Ricky Ashworth; Birmingham: Jason Lyons and Craig Watson; Edinburgh: William Lawson and Matthew Wethers.

n See page 48 for Comets match reports