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Workington Comets v Rye House Rockets
Premier Trophy (Final), 06 August 2005
Derwent Park, Workington

Workington 44
1(g)Magnus Zetterstrom32333 ..140
2Shaun Tacey1030. ..40
3Scott Robson020.. ..20
4Kauko Nieminen1R33R ..70
5James Wright3221. ..80
6Jamie Courtney31*1*1R ..62
7Aidan Collins012*0. ..31
Rye House 46
1Stuart Robson23321* ..111
2Edward KennettF.... ..00
3Brent Werner3322*2 ..121
4Daniel King2*01*1*. ..43
5Chris Neath2120. ..50
6Steve Boxall1*1301* 32112
7Tommy Allen2010. ..30

* = BP. ^ = TR . ! = TS (15m Handicap). # = TR (Points Not Doubled). & = TS (Points Not Doubled, 15m Handicap).

Magnus Zetterstrom was the guest Workington had in place of Carl Stonehewer for the first leg of the final but otherwise they were at full strength. Rye House were able to field an unchanged team again although they lost Edward Kennett after he fell in heat 1 and withdrew from the meeting.

This was a disappointing result for Workington who go to Rye House with little hope of taking the silverware. They had an excellent guest in Magnus Zetterstrom but with only 6 points from the combined efforts of Shaun Tacey and Scott Robson it was an uphill struggle. Rye House were unlucky to lose Edward Kennett after his fall in the opening heat but they were again well served by reserve, Steve Boxall, whose 11+2 point return swung the match in their favour.

The first four heats resulted in the scores tied at 12-12. A 1-5 in heat 3 from Brent Werner and Daniel King was neutralised by two 4-2s for the Comets in heats 1 and 4. Rye House went back in front in heats 5 and 6 both of which they won 2-4 to pull out a four point lead. Heat 6 saw an inspirational ride from Steve Boxall to inflict the only defeat of the match on Magnus Zetterstrom then, after a Werner win in heat 7 for a 3-3, Workington got back on level terms with a 5-1 in heat 8 which was rerun twice with Steve Boxall going from 15 metres back for jumping the gun twice. The score after 8 heats was 24-24.

Steve Boxall proved a thorn in Workington’s side again in heat 9. Although Kauko Nieminen won the race Boxall won a battle for third place with Scott Robson for a shared heat behind his partner, Chris Neath. Workington just could not get their noses in front again. In heat 10 Zetterstrom got back to winning ways but this time Brent Werner and Daniel King kept Shaun Tacey at the back to share the heat. Heat 11 was shared too, won by Stuart Robson, but in heat 12 Rye House scored a 1-5. Jaimie Courtney replaced Scott Robson but he and Aidan Collins were powerless to prevent another heat win by the fast starting Boxall with Werner backing him up for the maximum. The score now found Workington trailing by 34-38.

Zetterstrom and Wright did get two points back with a 4-2 in heat 13 but the last two heats were shared as Jaimie Courtney and Kauko Nieminen both had engine failures as their partners Kauko Nieminen and Magnus Zetterstrom won the heats.

This result means that Rye House already have one hand on the cup and it will be a sensation if they fail to deliver the trophy tomorrow afternoon when they take on the Comets in the return match at Hoddesdon.

Match Report by Merlin