Team Websites for News and More Detailed Match Reports:
Workington Comets Website (Official)
Live Updates for a Current or Recent match: Live Speedway Updates
Discussion on Matches and Other Speedway Issues: Speedway Forum
Workington Comets v Exeter Falcons
Premier Trophy (SF), 02 July 2005
Derwent Park, Workington
| 2 | Shaun Tacey | Fx | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2* | . | . | 8 | 1 |
| 3 | James Wright | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | . | 18 | 0 |
| 4 | Scott Robson | 1 | 2* | 2* | 2* | 0 | . | . | 7 | 3 |
| 5 | Carl Stonehewer | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2* | . | 17 | 1 |
| 6(g) | Lee Derbyshire | 0 | 0 | 1 | . | . | . | . | 1 | 0 |
| 7(g) | Craig Branney | 2 | 0 | 2* | 2* | 3 | . | . | 9 | 2 |
| 1 | Mark Lemon | 2 | 1 | R^ | 1 | M | . | . | 4 | 0 |
| 2 | Lee Smethills | 1* | 2 | R | 1 | 1 | . | . | 5 | 1 |
| 4 | Ray Morton | F | 2 | 2^ | R | 1* | . | . | 5 | 1 |
| 5 | Antonin Svab | 1* | 2 | 1* | R | 0 | . | . | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | Ben Barker | 1 | 1* | 1 | 0 | 1 | . | . | 4 | 1 |
| 7 | Pavel Ondrasik | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | . | 9 | 0 |
* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).
|
It was a revamped Workington team which took on Exeter in this semi-final match. Curiously Workington had lost a few weeks ago at Exeter in a league match by 29 points so this 29 point win suggests that the second leg at Exeter on Monday could be a cliff-hanger. Workington moved Carl Stonehewer to number 5 and used R/R for Kauko Nieminen at number 1. James Wright moved into the body of the team at number 3 and Kevin Little, out with a broken collarbone, was due to move to reserve. The Comets had Craig Branney as a guest for him at number 7 and gave the number 6 spot this week to Lee Derbyshire. Exeter used R/R for Seemond Stephens, out with an injured knee, at number 3. Workington had an unfortunate start when Shaun Tacey fell in heat one but Carl Stonehewer won the race for a shared heat. They were behind though after heat 2 when Pavel Ondrasik won the reserves race from Craig Branney with Ben Barker third for a 2-4. The Comets levelled in heat three through James Wright and Scott Robson after Ray Morton had fallen then Carl Stonehewer won again in heat 4 for a shared heat and the score after heat 4 was 12-12 with Exeter providing stiff resistance. In heat 5 Wright and Robson took a 5-1 ahead of Mark Lemon to put Workington in front. Two shared heats followed before Tacey and Branney doubled the Comets lead with another 5-1 to make the score after heat 8 28-20. Then Exeter’s resistance collapsed. They lost each of the next three heats by the 5-1 margin as both James Wright and Carl Stonehewer continued their unbeaten run. In heat 10 Ray Morton had taken a TR but finished behind Shaun Tacey and Scott Robson for a 5-2. Then in heat 11 Mark Lemon took a TR but blew it when he retired from the race. The score at the interval, after heat 11, was 43-24, a 19 point lead for the home side. After the interval Workington kept the pressure up with a 4-2 in heat 12 from Wright and Derbyshire after Ray Morton had an engine failure. Another home 5-1 materialised in heat 13 from Stonehewer and Tacey ahead of Lemon but heat 14, won by Craig Branney, was shared. In heat 15 James Wright completed his full six ride maximum and Carl Stonehewer his paid six ride maximum as the home side finished with another 5-1 from Barker and Ondrasik, the Exeter reserves, after Mark Lemon had been excluded under the two minute rule. Match Report by Merlin |