John Walsh reports

Last updated 11:49, Friday, 10 October 2008

IT’S 33-years ago since Workington Comets last reached the Knockout Cup final – and there are parallels with the current achievement.

KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL: Comets v Somerset, first leg, tomorrow, 7pm

Back in 1975 George Graham was in charge as a local promoter for his first season, after Ian Thomas had established the Comets in Workington before moving on to Newcastle.

Fast forward to the present day and Keith Denham is the new local man at the head of the Comets, enjoying a highly successful first season since buying the club from Tony Mole.

Workington had reached the final two years previously where they had been beaten by Boston – and the second appearance under Graham was against Eastbourne.

Still a keen speedway supporter, a regular at Derwent Park each Saturday, Graham will be in usual seat in the grandstand hoping the Comets can make it third time lucky.

He recalls: “I think if we’d been given a fair crack of the whip back in 1975 we would have ran the Eagles very close.

“We had ridden superbly on the Friday night to beat them 47-31 at Derwent Park with Taffy Owen (11), Mick Newton (11) and Lou Sansom (10) showing the way.

“But Eastbourne was always a difficult place to go and we often seemed to fall foul of refereeing decisions. It was one of those occasions two days later when we went for the return and lost 52-25.

“The referee Laurie Pike made one or two strange decisions and it didn’t help that Taffy bent his bike and our two reserves Roger Wright and Steve Lawson collided in the second race.

“I remember thinking we were in with a good chance of landing the trophy – but I never thought it would be another 33 years before we would challenge for the Cup again.”

But what about the Comets of 2008 – injury ravaged, up against it, what sort of fist of it can they make against Somerset Rebels who finished runners-up in the Premier League?

Graham, like everyone else, knows that the Comets are up against it. Having to use rider replacement for in-form Kauko Nieminen and using a guest for number one Daniel Nermark will dilute the scoring potential of the team.

So how does he see it panning out. Can the patched-up Comets defy the odds and land the silverware for the first time?

“I think it’s going to be very tough but the current riders have defied the odds on a few occasions before. We’d lost Daniel for the Fours but still went out and won it and I think a few people had written off our chances against Edinburgh, and even Scunthorpe last week-end.

“Yet here they are still in with a chance of lifting two more trophies and that would really be a terrific achievement by Keith in his first season as owner.

“We need as big a lead as possible to take down there next Friday and there are some key areas for us.

“The reserves Tomi Reima and John Branney scored well last week against Scunthorpe and we need them to get 15 or 16 points between them.

“Obviously Jason Lyons’ score is going to be crucial. He’s an experienced rider and usually goes well round Derwent Park so I would expect a decent contribution from him.

“It’s a shame we haven’t been able to book Tomas Topinka because he has been a superb guest for us but perhaps he will be ok for the second leg.

“I’d love to see a big performance from Carl Stonehewer. He was riding as well as ever earlier in the season and he showed a glimpse of that last week. I’m sure the occasion and the captaincy will bring the best out of him and we’ll see some Stoney magic.

“We took 16 points to Eastbourne all those years ago and it wasn’t good enough. I’d like to think we can get something similar or better tomorrow night and really give them something to think about.”

In actual fact Somerset are in their third Knockout Cup final – but this is their third in a row – and like Workington they are still seeking their first victory.

The first leg is being staged at Derwent Park tomorrow at 7pm with the return leg at Somerset on Friday, October 17.

WORKINGTON COMETS

1. JASON LYONS: Guest rider, aged 38. Vastly experienced Australian rider, currently with Birmingham Brummies but a former Grand Prix and Elite League star. Guested for Belle Vue in the Elite League on Monday.

2. CHARLES WRIGHT: Second string, aged 20 in a fortnight. Recently moved up to difficult number two role after up and down season at reserve, but has settled in really well. Every point crucial and will have a key role.

Grandfather Jim Yacoby rode for Belle Vue 1959 until 1967 and brother James, a former Comets favourite is currently in the Elite League with Swindon.

3. RIDER REPLACEMENT for the injured Kauko Nieminen. It means every member of the team can take one of his four programmed rides but unlikely to add up to the Finn’s recent run of scores, at home or at Somerset.

4. JOE HAINES: Second string, aged 16. Hugely promising youngster in first season of Premier League and has shown tremendous promise. Has demonstrated he can mix it with the best of them – schoolboy or not!

5. CARL STONEHEWER: Heat leader, aged 36. Acting captain and the man who has achieved legendary status in Workington since spearheading the launch in 1999. His least effective season so far for the Comets but it would be highly appropriate for him to lift the Comets’ coveted first team trophy as captain after all he’s achieved for the club.

6. TOMI REIMA: Finnish international, aged 34. Has settled in really well both as second string and reserve. Very solid member of the team and likely to play a key role in both legs. Nickname The Silver Bullet and a popular recruit to the team.

7. JOHN BRANNEY: Tigerish local-based reserve, aged 22. Forced his way back after breaking three bones in his back and has produced some outstanding displays recently at Derwent Park. Never-say-die approach could earn some vital points tomorrow.

SOMERSET REBELS

1. JASON DOYLE: Outstanding Australian talent, celebrated his 23rd birthday on Monday currently lying fourth in the Premier League averages. Produced one of the rides of the season at Derwent Park when he went from a 15 metre handicap – and won the race for the Rebels. Came to Britain in 2005 with the Isle of Wight; but rode full time in the Elite League for Poole in 2007 before switching to the Rebels this year.

2. RIDER REPLACEMENT for Simon Walker, the captain who is still out with a back injury and won’t ride in either leg. It means Emil Kramer plus any of the riders below his average can take his four programmed rides – effectively everyone except Doyle.

3. EMIL KRAMER: Swedish star, aged 29 who has previously ridden for Hull Vikings and King’s Lynn. Represented Somerset in the Pairs along with Doyle when they were beaten by Workington’s two absentees – Nermark and Nieminen.

4. STEFFAN KATT: German, 28 in his second spell with the Oak Tree Arena team and a popular racer for the Rebels after originally joining in 2003. Two years ago he was the European Grass Track Champion.

5. JORDAN FRAMPTON: Only Englishman in Saturday’s Rebels line-up, aged 23. Second season with the Rebels and improving well. Raced round Derwent Park particularly well in the Fours tournament.

6. MATTHIAS KROGER: German, 38, a member of the German long track squad that won the World Team Cup last year. In Germany is a team-mate of Stephan Katt with Brokstedt and in Poland for Lodz also rides alongside the same pair.

7. BRENT WERNER: American, aged 34 who needs no introductions to the Workington fans. The Comets first signing when they re-launched in 1999. Has ridden since for Eastbourne, Rye House and briefly Birmingham before being tempted out of retirement by Somerset.