After their heroics at home to Somerset Rebels on Saturday, it was business as usual on the road as Workington Comets succumbed to a 14-point loss at Newcastle last night.

Comets had beaten high-flying Rebels 46-45 at home with just five riders but couldn’t tranfer that success into a first away league point as they crumbled to a 53-39 defeat at Brough Park.

The visitors made a steady start, Ricky Wells easily pulling away from Steve Worrall and Simon Nielsen while Comets guest David Bellego fell to the back.

But a promising start to heat two from Matty Wethers and Matt Williamson quickly faded as Tero Aarnio stormed through the pack and Williamson found himself last. Nielsen, who had got the better of the Bury youngster, set his sights on Wethers but couldn’t reel him in before the flag as the hosts settled for a 4-2.

And the Diamonds quickly began to stamp their authority on proceedings, Richie Worrall and Anton Rosen trading places at the front in heat three. Rene Bach kept the pair honest all the way but couldn’t find a way through, while Kenneth Hansen retired at the back.

Another 5-1 followed in heat four after Aarnio and Ludvig Lindgren had led from Wethers and Bach until the latter fell while last. The race was stopped and rerun but another bite at the cherry proved fruitless, Wethers unable to hold onto second place behind Aarnio as Lindgren swept around the pair for a Diamonds maximum.

Comets No1 Wells wore a black and white helmet in heat five as the away side looked for a route back into the meeting.

The American made the gate and led into the first bend, with Richie Worrall, Bellego and Rosen on his heels. Bellego couldn’t keep his place and dropped to the back, while Worrall eyed up Wells and made his move on the final lap, the pair trading spots before the Diamond clinched it on the line for a 4-4 after a superb contest.

A decent start for Hansen in heat six saw him splitting leader Steve Worrall and Nielsen until the second lap, when the latter pulled a fast one to take up position behind his teammate. Hansen made every effort to claw back the place but couldn’t do enough as the Diamonds secured another 5-1 with Williamson finishing last.

The hosts got off to a flyer in heat eight, Nielsen and Rosen leading from Wethers and Bellego. Wethers caught Rosen and made a pass work to take second, before the Diamond almost put himself into the fence and allowed Bellego to clinch third for another draw.

A rocket-fuelled start for Wells in heat nine didn’t pay off as Richie Worrall swung around the outside of him heading into the second lap and led to the flag. Wells kept Rosen at bay but Williamson couldn’t find a way to join his teammate as the home side sealed another 4-2.

Comets’ hopes of a first league point away from home were boosted by a shock 5-1 in heat 10. Steve Worrall was excluded after a pile-up on the first bend and Workington capitalised in the rerun, Hansen bursting into the lead with Nielsen and Bach giving chase. The lone Diamond could only hold onto his place for the opening lap as the determined Comets skipper got his man and followed Hansen to the flag.

But any slim hope of a Comets comeback was extinguished in heat 12, as the hosts secured a heat maximum to extend their lead to 18 points with races to go.

The competitive Wells, his side’s best rider on the night, restored some pride with a stylish win in heat 13, but Bellego finished last to limit Comets to a 3-3.

And Wethers secured another in heat 14, while his teammate Hansen dropped from third to last before retaking the place from Rosen on the final lap for an away 4-2.

What had been a dour meeting from a Comets’ slant ended on a sour note for the hosts as Lindgren hit the fence trying to round the leading Wells. The Diamond was quickly on his feet as both Comets riders stopped to check on him, but was excluded from the rerun as Wells led from Steve Worrall and Wethers to end a miserable night with a consolation race win.

Newcastle Diamonds 53

1. Steve Worrall – 2, 3, FX, 1*, 2 = 8+1

2. Christian Henry R/R

3. Richie Worrall – 3, 3, 3, 3 = 12

4. Anton Rosen – 2*, 1, 0, 1 = 4+1

5. Ludvig Lindgren – 3, 3, 3, 2, FX = 11

6. Simon Nielsen – 1*, 1, 2*, 3, 1, 1, 2 = 11+2

7. Tero Aarnio – 3, 2*, 0, 2* = 7+2

Workington Comets 39

1. Ricky Wells – 3, 4^, 2, 2, 3, 3 = 17

2. David Bellego – 0, 0, 1*, 0, 0 = 1+1

3. Rene Bach – 1, FX, 1*, 2*, 1 = 5+2

4. Kenneth Hansen – R, 1, 2, 3, 1 = 6

5. Kyle Howarth R/R

6. Matt Williamson – 0, 0, 0 = 0

7. Matthew Wethers – 2, 1, 2, 0, 3, 1 = 9

HEAT-BY-HEAT

HEAT 1 – Wells, S Worrall, Nielsen, Bellego – 63.1, 3-3

HEAT 2 – Aarnio, Wethers, Nielsen, Williamson – 65.2, 4-2, 7-5

HEAT 3 – R Worrall, Rosen, Bach, Hansen (Retired) – 63.2, 5-1, 12-6

HEAT 4 – Lindgren, Aarnio, Wethers, Bach (Fell excluded) – 63.4, 5-1, 17-7

HEAT 5 – R Worrall, Wells (Tactical ride), Rosen, Bellego – 63.1, 4-4, 21-11

HEAT 6 – S Worrall, Nielsen, Hansen, Williamson – 63.6, 5-1, 26-12

HEAT 7 – Lindgren, Hansen, Bach, Aarnio – 63, 3-3, 29-15

HEAT 8 – Nielsen, Wethers, Bellego, Rosen – 64.7, 3-3, 32-18

HEAT 9 – R Worrall, Wells, Rosen, Williamson – 62.8, 4-2, 36-20

HEAT 10 – Hansen, Bach, Nielsen, S Worrall (Fell excluded) – 63.5, 1-5, 37-25

HEAT 11 – Lindgren, Wells, Nielsen, Bellego – 63, 4-2, 41-27

HEAT 12 – R Worrall, Aarnio, Bach, Wethers – 64.6, 5-1, 46-28

HEAT 13 – Wells, Lindgren, S Worrall, Bellego – 63.1, 3-3, 49-31

HEAT 14 – Wethers, Nielsen, Hansen, Rosen – 65.2, 2-4, 51-35

HEAT 15 – Wells, S Worrall, Wethers, Lindgren (Fell excluded) – 63.4, 2-4, 53-39