Last updated 19:41, Thursday, 24 April 2008

WORKINGTON Comets completed their Premier Trophy group matches by hitting the 60-point mark for the first time this season in this comprehensive 60-32 victory over a generally lacklustre Glasgow Tigers side.

Racing in front of another large Derwent Park crowd, further boosted by the appearance of special guest Jack P Shepherd, alias Coronation Street bad boy David Platt, the Comets produced 13 of the 15 race winners on the night, with five different Comets taking the chequered flag at least once and the remaining two recording paid heat wins.

Leading the Comets charge was skipper Kauko Nieminen, who produced a flawless 15-point maximum from his five outings, with his heat 15 victory seeing him lead all the way ahead of team-mate Daniel Nermark to push the Comets total to 60 points.

Earlier, Comets had got the match underway with a race win for the in-form Nermark ahead of Ross Brady, while Scott Smith, somewhat unexpectedly, pegged Parker at the back.

However, a surprising heat advantage for the visitors in heat two levelled the scores when first season Australian Josh Grajczonek sped from the gate to win his debut outing at Derwent Park ahead of Joe Haines.

But, that was as close as the Tigers ever got to the Comets who, from that moment on, pulled away to claim the spoils.

Nieminen won the next by a considerable distance and with Charles Wright following him home the Comets claimed their first maximum heat advantage of the night.

This feat was repeated in the fourth heat when Carl Stonehewer swooped around the outside of turns one and two to lead, and with John Branney emerging out of turn two in second.

Another victory for Nieminen followed in the next while Nermark also notched up his second race win in heat six.

Another Stonehewer win in heat seven plus third from Joe Haines stretched Comets’ lead to 10 points and Glasgow's team manager Stewart Dickson immediately hit back by nominating Brady for a double points scoring tactical ride in the next.

And, for half a lap it looked as if the move had paid off as the Scot hit the front before a finely executed inside move from Smith saw him take the lead and the win.

Comets are not mathematically out of the running in the Premier Trophy, but to progress they need Glasgow to defeat Edinburgh by at least 43 points margin in the remaining group fixture and that looks extremely unlikely.