WORKINGTON COMETS 2010
 SPONSORED BY THE THOMAS ARMSTRONG GROUP
                    AND NEW TEAM PARTNERS
             PRESS RELEASE No 17 – April 13th
 
 
AFTER the worst start since they re-launched in 1999, Workington Comets have some pride to win back over the second-half of the Premier Trophy programme.
 
Without a point from four defeats – home and away – against Berwick and Newcastle, the Comets have been set a target over the final four matches in the competition.
 
Team manager Ian Thomas said: “Riders and management are equally disappointed with the way results have gone so far, and everybody wants to put things right.
 
“I’ve said to the lads that they need to get the job sorted over the remaining four Premier Trophy matches before we get down to business in the Premier League.”
 
But it’s not going to be easy for the Derwent Parkside as they face the first three fixtures on successive days – two of them away from home.
 
Workington travel to Armadale on Friday night to take on the Monarchs; they host the return on Saturday at Derwent Parkand then on Sunday visit Glasgow Tigers.
 
“I don’t think that will help us, having three matches in quick succession like that, because it is tough on man and machinery. But there has to be an improvement –and quickly.
 
“I was devastated by the 47-43 home defeat to Newcastle on Saturday when we only won four races. That is not acceptable at home.
 
“There was a better display at Newcastle on Sunday but I still wasn’t singing on the way back home,” said Thomas.
 
Workington had started the season with two wins, home and away over Redcar Bears – but that seems already a long time ago.
 
“It’s always good to win, and to do so home and away was encouraging, even though nobody was getting carried away over the challenge match victories,” said Thomas.
 
“But we’ve followed that by conceding doubles to both Berwick and Newcastle and have had too many riders struggling for form and consistency.”
In three of the last four defeats Workington’s top scorer has been new signing Chris Schramm who collected his first win at Derwent Park in the defeat by Newcastleon Saturday.
 
He said: “It was good to get that first competitive win out of the way at home. I hope to be able to go on and build from there.”
 
Peter Kildemand has also been one of Workington’s best riders in the Premier Trophy, proving that the Comets did well to heed the advice of Danish international team manager Jan Staechmann and sign his fellow countryman.
 
Thomas said: “Peter beat Kenni Larsen round Brough Park and not many have been doing that. He was particularly pleased to beat him as they live only a few miles apart back in Denmark.so know each other well.”