Speedway: Diamonds in a tense meeting against the comets

Workington Comets v Newcastle Diamonds,

Sat 13 Aug 2011, Derwent Park, Premier League, by Lawrence Heppell

The Newcastle Diamonds were a team keen for success last night at the Workington Comets, and as befitting of a tense local derby the opening two races were shared 3-3 with guest man Jason Lyons being hauled back in Heat One as the referee decreed he'd jumped the start.
Tomas Topinka and Rusty Harrison flew from the tapes in Heat Three, the latter passing Joe Haines on lap two as part of a Workington maximum, 5-1 to push them ahead 11-7, but with a fall for Peter Kildemand allowing Richie Worrall to take the win, the visiting Diamonds pulled back to within two, 13-11.

Harrison completely missed the gate in Heat Five yet managed to make a fine pass round Lyons, a rare feat indeed, on lap three to take the three points in a home 4-2 which moved the Comets back to four points ahead on the night.

Claes Nedermark was holding a good scoring position in Heat Six, but James Wright forced his way to take his score and form a Workington 5-1 which pushed them further ahead 22-14 one third of the way through.

Haines suffered and engine failure mid way through Heat Seven which initially looked a certain home 5-1, but Rene Bach managed to force his way under Gary Irving on the third lap for a well earned second place and restrict the score to a home 4-2 moving the Comets up to 26-16 ahead.

Nedermark made a remarkable pass round Harrison on bend two of the last lap in Heat Nine to turn the Newcastle 2-4 into a shared 3-3 with the score now settling at 32-22, and with the gap now 10 it allowed George English the chance to use a tactical ride in and following a home 4-2 in the 10th, the task was given to Lyons in Heat 11 for double points.

The guest man executed the task in hand beautifully to take his six points with ease but his partner Derek Sneddon couldn't get out of last place in the Diamonds' 3-6, and following a home maximum in Heat 12 Newcastle's cause was looking tricky with the score at 44-31 with three races left on the card.

Nedermark came out as Newcastle's second and final tactical ride in Heat 13, but his challenge failed to materialise in a 3-3 won easily by Lyons, but the Dane was stuck at the rear throughout whilst another share of the spoils in Heat 14 certainly sealed the Diamonds' loss with the score moving on to 50-37.

Team Manager George English said: "We ended up with too many points being lost later on in this match, but had we managed to uphold our form from the early heats then the Comets would have had somewhat more to worry about, but there's always the next time.

"We must now concentrate to put things right against Ipswich at home tonight, but as they are on a high from a win at Berwick last night then we will have to hit them hard and hit them early so as not to let them get dialled into our track too soon."