By Paul Crute

Last updated at 11:22, Saturday, 15 September 2012

Somerset Rebels 59 Workington Comets 31: Just a week after recording their biggest victory of the season Workington Comets came back down to earth with a bump by suffering their heaviest defeat of the year.

Comets went down 59-31 to a strong Somerset side and also lost Tero Aarnio with a suspected broken collar bone to worsen their already serious injury crisis.

Workington were already using Rohan Tungate and National League rider Brendan Johnson as guests, as well as rider replacement for Kenny Ingalls and will have to find another guest for tonight’s match with Glasgow after Aarnio came to grief in heat five when he tangled with Jesper B Monberg.

Comets only recorded three race winners and two heat advantages while Rene Bach and Richard Lawson both suffered mechanical problems when on tactical rides for double points.

Despite that, the bright spot was reserve Ashley Morris, who top scored with a paid ten points following on from his second place in the British under 19 final on Thursday.

Team manager Tony Jackson said: “It was always going to be a tough night and we were going to be up against it.

“I thought we would struggle to get anything before the meeting as Somerset are on fire at home and they could well win the league this year.

“Their team has managed to stay in one piece this year and we are not going to do that.

“We are not sure how long Tero will be out for but it is so disheartening and not good for team spirit because we have got different team members every week.

“We feel like a Workington select team at the moment and we will just try to get the best riders we can.

“However, Ashley was superb and did well following his runner up position in the under 19 championship.

“It was disappointing to get another injury and tonight was one to forget.”

The match had not started brilliantly for Comets after they conceded a 5-1 in the opening heat, which was won by Alex Davies.

The impressive Morris won heat two for a 4-2 heat advantage but a further two heat advantages saw Somerset pull further clear.

It was after that that Aarnio tangled with Monberg and the Finn came off worst after hitting the fence.

He withdrew with concussion and a suspected broken collar bone.

Lawson won that re-run in a shared heat five but a further heat maximum for the Rebels put them 23-13 in front.

Jackson immediately nominated Bach as a tactical ride and he went into the heat as the sole Comet and was leading until his chain snapped on the third lap and he pushed round for a solitary point.

Two more heat advantages and a heat maximum put the already dominant Rebels into an unassailable lead at 41-19 when Workington used their second tactical ride in heat 11.

This time it was Lawson who donned the black and white helmet but he was passed by both Claus Vissing and Kyle Newman before pulling up with a puncture, handing another 5-1 to the Rebels.

A shared heat 12 followed when Tom Perry fell after his bike failed, but normal service resumed in heat 13 when Jason Doyle and Vissing teamed up to win by a huge margin from Lawson and Tungate.

The penultimate heat saw Newman take the win but Morris rode a great race to hold off Wright.

It meant the Comets had the chance of breaking the 30-point barrier and Bach and Lawson teamed up to do just that, Lawson hanging on to second from Davies to give Workington only their second heat advantage of the night.

Jackson said: “We had Ashley and Brendan both take seven rides and they battled away but it was hard for the whole team.

“I said to Richard and Rene before the last heat just see if we can get over 30 and we did that and finished on a high and I still believe with a full team we would given them a match.”

Workington will be using Ricky Wells and Jason Bunyan as guests for tonight’s match with Glasgow as well as another that Jackson is still trying to confirm.

He added: “We have always gone with the motto that we take one match at a time so we will now concentrate on Glasgow.

SOMERSET REBELS 59: Alex Davies 12+1, Claus Vissing 10+2, Jason Doyle 10+2, Kyle Newman 8+1, Jesper B Monberg 8+1, James Wright 7, Tom Perry 4

WORKINGTON COMETS 31: Ashley Morris 9+1, Rene Bach 9, Richard Lawson 7+1, Rohan Tungate 5, Brendan Johnson 1, Tero Aarnio 0, Kenny Ingalls R/R

First published at 10:53, Saturday, 15 September 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk