Last updated at 19:46, Thursday, 19 July 2012

Workington Comets face a crucial weekend of action as they race three matches in as many days.

NEW: Ashley Morris

They take on Edinburgh at Armadale tonight before travelling to Berwick tomorrow – both Premier League fixtures – before they return to Derwent Park on Sunday for the first leg of the quarter-final of the Knock Out Cup against Leicester.

Team manager Tony Jackson believes the Comets should begin taking points from both their away fixtures this weekend.

The last time Comets lost a match was April 20 at Edinburgh which is exactly three months to the day when they face the Monarchs tonight.

Jackson said: “We owe Edinburgh one after we lost to them last time so we will be determined not to be beaten.

“We have a full team and we hope to carry on our good form.”

Following the Edinburgh match Workington then travel south for the match against Berwick on Saturday.

The Bandits have made changes to their line up by bringing in Robin Aspegren and Liam Carr in place of Lubos Tomicek and injured Alex Edberg.

Jackson added: “Berwick have lost their last two matches but have changed their team.

“They won the Fours at the weekend so they will be parading that around which might have given them some confidence so we will want to take them down a peg or two.

“They should be two good matches and ideally we would like to win both but I will be disappointed if we don’t take at least something from them.”

To complete the weekend Comets return to Derwent Park on Sunday to take on Leicester in the Knock Out Cup beginning at 7pm.

The original first leg at Beaumont Park fell victim to the weather so Workington will be trying to build up as big a lead as possible for the rearranged second leg.

No dates have been confirmed although Jackson believed it would be sometime around mid-August.

The Leicester match will also see the return of former captain Kauko Nieminen who was a big crowd favourite at Derwent Park during his time with Comets.

Jackson added: “It will be nice to welcome back Kauko as long as he doesn’t score too many points against us.”

Jackson believes there is a good balance to the team now and was impressed with Workington’s two new signings Ashley Morris and Tero Aarnio in the match against Redcar.

He said: “Tero was very unlucky as he had an engine failure and was excluded in another race in a decision I didn’t agree with.

“However, he has shown what he can do round here.

“I was really impressed with Ashley but we have still got to run plenty of matches and we are already in the play off positions but anything can happen because things can change round very quickly.”

Meanwhile Comets riders Richard Lawson and Adam Roynon have both been seeded through to the British Final on July 30 at Wolverhampton’s Monmore Green stadium.

Comets’ junior side, Workington Moss Bay Metals Meteors, also have two matches this weekend which will take place after the main matches with Edinburgh and Berwick.

The team will feature Tommy Fenwick, James Cartmel from Cleator Moor and Dearham’s Jay Atkinson who has recovered from a serious crash at Derwent Park last week when his exhaust fell off during the Meteors match with Edinburgh Kings.

Ex-Comet Rusty Harrison’s 28-day racing ban for withholding his services has now been extended to 12 months by the BSPA management committee.

First published at 19:20, Thursday, 19 July 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk