Workington Comets brought the curtain down on their 2015 Premier League campaign with a classy 49-41 win over table-toppers Edinburgh to remain unbeaten at home all season.

There was also an added boost for Comets fans as stars Kenneth Hansen and Ricky Wells signed contracts for next season in front of the grandstand on Saturday as the crowd exploded.

A stylish performance from returning West Cumbrian rider Craig Cook in Monarchs colours wasn’t enough to stop the rampaging Comets, with all but one of the Workington riders securing a race win.

It wasn’t the start Cook would have wanted as he started with a 15 metre handicap for a starting offence.

Wells made his customary charge to the front in the rerun before Rob Branford nicked past Hynek Stichauer and Cook set his sights on the Comets guest. After applying pressure for three laps the Monarchs No1 got his man to share the points in the opening heat.

Stichauer rounded Ryan Blacklock and Matt Williamson on the first bend in heat two but Branford followed him all the way and got the better of the Comet to ride home comfortably for a Monarchs 4-2.

Hansen was left behind at the gate in heat three while Rene Bach bullied his way past the Monarchs duo. It wasn’t long before his countryman joined him with a trademark sweep around the outside as Comets won in style to take the lead.

Kyle Howarth couldn’t make up any ground on the pack from his 15 metre handicap in heat four, while Stichauer slotted into second behind the impressive Sam Masters to limit the visitors to a 4-2 which evened up the scores.

Bach and Hansen made the start but Cook seemed to be rocket-fuelled as he blew away the competition in stunning style in heat five to lead from the duo for a 3-3.

Wells and Stichauer blasted away from the tapes in heat six, the latter edging out Masters to get a firm hold of second place in another Comets 5-1.

Howarth stormed out of the gate and blasted across the front of the pack in heat seven, but Monarchs pair Kevin Wolbert and Justin Sedgmen were on his case immediately. Williamson was unable to cope with the pace as Comets settled for another stalemate.

Hansen and Stichauer looked to have got the jump on Sedgmen in heat eight but the Monarch had other ideas and stole the lead. Hansen wound it on around the outside on lap two before trying the inside on lap three, finally getting his man with a stunning pass under him on the back straight on the final lap. It looked to have settled at a home 4-2 before Stichauer followed his teammate through on the line for another spectacular 5-1.

Masters got the start in heat nine but Comets’ Danish duo Hansen and Bach were snapping at his heels immediately. The pair eased off as the heat went on and settled for a 3-3.

Wells was first to the front in heat 10 but Wolbert briefly cut inside him on the second bend to hit the front. The American had hooked him back by the end of the lap and disappeared into the distance, while Williamson tried at the back but never troubled Sedgmen.

Cook powered to the front with Howarth on his shoulder in heat 11 while Branford tried to go around the outside. The latter Monarch looked to have edged into second but Howarth and Stichauer pegged him back. A ding-dong battle between Stichauer and Branford saw them push each other all the way, but the Comet came out on top to secure a 3-3 and prevent Cook’s dominant ride from slashing the deficit.

Wolbert and Bach tussled for the lead from the tapes in heat 12, while Williamson drew level with Branford before dropping back. The Workington captain did the business and came out on top to share the points and maintain Comets’ steady lead.

A tight first lap in heat 13 quickly became stretched as the Monarchs trimmed Comets’ lead to six points, Cook followed home by Wells and Masters.

Stichauer shut the door on Sedgmen on the first bend of heat 14 while Hansen reeled in Branford and followed his partner home for a Comets maximum to secure the victory in some style.

And a cracker of a heat 15 saw Bach and Masters pass each other for fun behind the dominant Cook before the Dane pulled away as a Monarchs 4-2 proved to be merely a consolation in a comfortable Comets home win.

Workington Comets 49

1. Ricky Wells – 3, 3, 3, 2, 0 = 11

2. Rusty Harrison R/R

3. Rene Bach – 3, 2, 1*, 3, 2 = 11+1

4. Kenneth Hansen – 2*, 1*, 3, 2, 2* = 10+3

5. Kyle Howarth – 0, 3, 2, 0 = 5

6. Matt Williamson – 0, 0, 0, 0 = 0

7. Hynek Stichauer – 0, 2, 2, 2*, 2*, 1*, 3 = 12+3

8. Ryan MacDonald

Edinburgh Monarchs 41

1. Craig Cook – 1*, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 13+1

2. Erik Riss R/R

3. Kevin Wolbert – 0, 2, 2, 2 = 6

4. Justin Sedgmen – 1, 1*, 1, 1*, 1 = 5+2

5. Sam Masters – 3, 1, 3, 1, 1 = 9

6. Ryan Blacklock – 1, 0, 0, 0 = 1

7. Rob Branford – 2, 3, 1, 0, 0, 1*, 0 = 7+1

HEAT BY HEAT

HEAT 1 – Wells, Branford, Cook (15m), Stichauer – 64.4, 3-3

HEAT 2 – Branford, Stichauer, Blacklock, Williamson – 65.7, 2-4, 5-7

HEAT 3 – Bach, Hansen, Sedgmen, Wolbert – 65.2, 5-1, 10-8

HEAT 4 – Masters, Stichauer, Branford, Howarth (15m) 66, 2-4, 12-12

HEAT 5 – Cook, Bach, Hansen, Blacklock – 64.2, 3-3, 15-15

HEAT 6 – Wells, Stichauer, Masters, Blacklock – 65.5, 5-1, 20-16

HEAT 7 – Howarth, Wolbert, Sedgmen, Williamson – 66.6, 3-3, 23-19

HEAT 8 – Hansen, Stichauer, Sedgmen, Branford – 66.5, 5-1, 28-20

HEAT 9 – Masters, Hansen, Bach, Blacklock – 67.4, 3-3, 31-23

HEAT 10 – Wells, Wolbert, Sedgmen, Williamson – 67, 3-3, 34-26

HEAT 11 – Cook, Howarth, Stichauer, Branford – 66.1, 3-3, 37-29

HEAT 12 – Bach, Wolbert, Branford, Williamson – 67.2, 3-3, 40-32

HEAT 13 – Cook, Wells, Masters, Howarth 65.5, 2-4, 42-36

HEAT 14 – Stichauer, Hansen, Sedgmen, Branford – 67.2, 5-1, 47-37

HEAT 15 – Cook, Bach, Masters, Wells – 66.8, 2-4, 49-41