Haines crash horror as Stars crush poor Comets
Last updated 12:25, Thursday, 05 June 2008
King’s Lynn Stars 61 Workington Comets 32: It was a disaster almost from start to finish last night as Workington Comets suffered their worst defeat of the season.
Comets ace Daniel Nermark, on his return to the Norfolk Arena, was beaten by new home favourite Kevin Doolan in the opening heat.
Then in the very last race, with Workington well-beaten, young Joe Haines went down trying to avoid the fallen Nermark in some first- bend bunching and thumped into the safety fence.
X-ray examinations today are expected to confirm the worst fears of Haines and the King’s Lynn paramedics that his arm is broken.
Comets team manager Ian Thomas said: “It had been bad enough through the meeting watching us beaten race after race but for young Joe to suffer an arm break in the last race really made it a desperate night.”
A succession of heat advantages for the Stars left the Comets trailing 31-11 before they managed parity in the eighth race.
But it was only a temporary respite as the Stars piled on the pressure to lead 43-17 after ten heats – and Workington still hadn’t managed a race winner.
Nermark was sent-out in heat eleven for a tactical ride and he obliged with a six pointer but former Comet Rusty Harrison and John Oliver made sure King’s Lynn didn’t suffer unduly as they filled the minor points-scoring positions.
Workington only managed three heat wins all night with Nermark and Haines taking successive races leading to the last confrontation for the night.
Haines, summoned for the nominated riders race for the first time in his Comets career, will remember that call-up but for the wrong reasons.
Charles Wright took Haines’ place in the re-run but he was out of the points and a two-lap challenge from Nermark eventually petered out leaving Doolan and Topinka clear.
Workington had gone into the match using the rider replacement facility for injured Carl Stonehewer and what they didn’t need were two of the riders not to score a point between them.
Skipper Kauko Nieminen, who has had a couple of bad spills at the track, was never racing comfortably and he finished last in three starts before Thomas pulled him out of his final outing.
Reserve John Branney had five starts and he was also out of the points on each occasion.
With new boy Tomi Reima only scoring a single point, Workington virtually relied on the efforts of Nermark, Haines and Wright to take-on the combined might of the Stars.
It was a one-sided affair unfortunately although the three main Workington scorers battled manfully to keep their side in the contest.
Wright, down to reserve after some rather unflattering scores, managed eight points from a busy night and the promise of more to come at the bottom end of the side.
Match facts
Kings Lynn 61: Kevin Doolan 14; Shaun Tacey 6; Tomas Topinka 13; Simon Lambert 8; Rusty Harrison 9; John Oliver 5; Kozza Smith 6.
Workington 32: Daniel Nermark 14; Tomi Reima 1; Kauko Nieminen 0; Joe Haines 9; rider replacement for Carl Stonehewer; Charles Wright 8; John Branney 0.
