Workington Comets followed a dominant 61-29 home win over Redcar with their best away performance of the season at Rye House as their chase for a play-off place ramped up this weekend.

A special Workington display on Saturday saw every Comet secure a race win and paid for double figures in points, while every last place was filled by a Redcar rider as the hosts romped to six 5-1s.

Comets team manager Tony Jackson said he was happy to see some “excellent racing” in Saturday’s win.

He said: “It was good to get the points on the board on Saturday because sometimes matches like that can be the ones that trip you up.

“There was plenty for the home fans to get enthusiastic about.”

The untouchable Edward Kennett was the difference for Rye House as the Rockets managed to prevent a strong Comets performance on the road from securing their first away league point of the year.

Kenneth Hansen and Matt Williamson, who both starred in the previous night’s victory, struggled on Sunday on a track that left no margin for error at the tapes.

And co-promoter Steve Whitehead, who was team manager in Jackson’s absence on Sunday, said the Rye House meeting was “a much better performance away from home.”

He added: “I think we deserved a point.

“Once Kenneth got used to the track he was a lot better, Ricky was his usual excellent self and Rene did well.”

Comets had made a promising start at Rye House as Ricky Wells and guest Todd Kurtz beat Kennett and Robin Aspegren out of the gates. A gutsy ride from Kennett saw him round Kurtz on the second lap then Wells on the final bend of the third lap to peg the visitors back to a 3-3.

After a first bend collision between Matt Williamson and Luke Bowen prompted a rerun in heat two, a comfortable 5-1 from Danny Maassen and Bowen saw the hosts gain an early 8-4 lead.

Kasper Lykke produced a strong ride to win heat three, but Comets skipper Rene Bach followed him home and fellow Dane Kenneth Hansen slipped past Mellgren to share the points.

A pair of draws followed, Kennett chased by Bach and Matty Wethers then Wells finishing ahead of Mellgren and Lykke, before Comets were hit with a 5-1 sucker punch.

Hansen and Williamson couldn’t get near Aspegren and Kennett as the Rockets put some space between themselves and the Comets in heat six.

It would have been easy for heads to go down after the setback but Workington responded by battling to another pair of draws, Bach storming to the front to beat Aspegren and Bowen in heat seven then Wethers and Kurtz keeping Aspegren honest in heat eight for make it 28-20 with seven heats to go.

Rye House secured another heat advantage in heat nine, Wells fighting hard to split the hosts’ pair Lykke and Mellgren, with Comets reserve Williamson continuing his tough night at the back.

Comets looked to claw back some of that deficit in heat 11, with Wells donning the black and white helmet on a tactical ride. The popular American did the business with an assured win ahead of Lykke and Bowen, but the struggling Kurtz couldn’t get into the points as the visitors nonetheless sealed their first heat advantage.

Wethers was drafted in to replace Williamson in heat 12 but wound up last while his teammate Bach finished confidently ahead of Mellgren and Maassen to keep his side within reach of their first away league point of the season.

Wells couldn’t get the better of Kennett in heat 13 but Kurtz produced a fine ride to finish third and leave Comets seven points adrift with two heats to race.

Heat 14 saw the misfiring Hansen finally find some form as he blasted around in style ahead of Bowen and Lykke, but Wethers again could not get into the points as a draw ruled out a Comets victory.

The visitors were still in with a chance of securing a first away point but couldn’t produce what was required in the final heat as the superb Kennett again gave Wells no chance at the front while Lykke held off Bach for a Rockets 4-2.

Rye House Rockets 51:  Kennett 17+1, Aspegren 8, Mellgren 5, Lykke 11+2, Jakobsen R/R, Bowen 6+3, Maassen 4+1

Workington Comets 42:  Wells 17, Kurtz 3+3, Bach 12, Hansen 6+2, Howarth R/R, Williamson 0, Wethers 4+1