By John Walsh

Last updated 12:49, Tuesday, 30 September 2008

The injury jinx, which has stalked Workington Comets for ten years, has struck again as they prepare for the biggest month in their history.

Kauko Nieminen in action at Sheffield

Skipper Kauko Nieminen suffered a serious shoulder injury last night riding in the Elite League for Lakeside Hammers.

It looks very much as though the flying Finn has broken his collarbone and will be out for the rest of the season.

Nieminen was taken to hospital in London and has told Comets team manager Ian Thomas he thinks the collar bone is broken.

Thomas said: “I rang Kauko’s mobile and didn’t know whether he would be able to answer or not.

“He was in an ambulance on his way to hospital and actually took his oxygen mask off to speak to me. He was in a lot of pain and felt certain that the collarbone was broken.

“Scott James was following the ambulance in his van with all the machinery and gear, but I won’t get an update until some time on Tuesday when he has had the results of an X-ray.

“I feel absolutely gutted for Kauko. He has been enjoying a magnificent season and had so much to look forward to in the last month. It’s the best he has ever ridden in Britain and he’s such a great bloke that everyone in the sport has been delighted for him.

“We have the Knockout Cup final against Somerset – who race on one of his favourite tracks – and we were favourites to lift the Young Shield. Then Lakeside have Elite League play-offs coming up and he had made such an impression down there that he was going to figure in them.

“If his collarbone is broken then he will be out for the season. Simon Stead has just come back after a month out from a similar injury.

“It means we could only use rider replacement for Kauko and a guest for Daniel.

“Up until last night we only had three riders who had not been out with injury this season – and that’s down to two now with Charles Wright and John Branney, who were both suffering in different way last Saturday.

“The ironic thing is none of our injuries occurred at Workington.”

Lakeside went on to beat Swindon Robins 56-33 and Nieminen had scored six points before the fall in his fourth outing in heat 12. James Wright, riding for the Robins, failed to score in three races.

Nieminen has won the Premier League Best Pairs and skippered the Comets to their Fours triumph, while reaching the final of the Premier League riders championship.