Brilliant Bears KO Comets

Redcar produced a masterful display to defeat Workington 50-40 (100-78 on aggregate) at the GT Tyres Arena to move into the Cab Direct KO Cup semi-finals. Troy Batchelor top scored with 8 for Workington whilst the magnificent Jason Edwards made history with his first professional maximum (14+1).

Charles Wright set the tone for the Bears as he first passed the Comets guest James Pearson before the skipper made a superb inside pass on Craig Cook on the penultimate lap to take a well deserved win, but with Jonas Knudsen at the back, Redcar could not extend their aggregate lead.

After a shared heat 2 won by Workington’s guest, Paul Starke, the Bears hit the front in the second leg as Jason Edwards and Connor Bailey gated for a relatively untroubled 5-1 to give their side a fantastic start in Cumbria.

Heat 4 saw Riss win with ease in a shared race despite Ben Trigger putting serious pressure on Paul Starke in the final lap. The Comets then hit back to reduce the aggregate arrears to fifteen with a 4-2 heat advantage as Claus Vissing won with Mulford ensuring the Comets could not hit a 5-1 with an impressive 2nd place.

Nevertheless, the battling Bears re-established their 4 point 2nd leg lead after a scintillating heat 6. Cook gated with the Comets skipper electing to use the outside line with Riss hot on his tail in 2nd on the inside, Riss continued his assault and passed the former Grand Prix star in the closing stages with Cook then taking a nasty tumble on the run to the line which gave Redcar an important 4-2 heat advantage.

After the untouchable Edwards continued on his merry way with another win in heat 7, and with Bailey ahead of Sam McGurk in 3rd, the Bears fans were beginning to think their side were on the way to the semi-finals. However, despite Trigger gating in heat 8, he was passed by both Pearson and Starke as the hosts recorded their first 5-1 to reduce the 2nd leg deficit to two.

After the brilliant German, Riss won a shared heat 9, Redcar’s 6 point buffer was re-established with their second 5-1 as Bailey passed both Pearson and his teammate Edwards for the heat win with the ‘Billericay Blaster’ still on a paid maximum.  Charles Wright made another magnificent pass in heat 11 as he left Batchelor standing on lap 2 to take the chequered flag, and with Knudsen in 3rd, Redcar’s progression to the semi-finals was almost assured.

That progression was confirmed after a shared heat 12 won by the ever improving Tate Zischke, but with Starke at the back, no Comets heat advantage was forthcoming which sealed Redcar’s spot in the cup semi-finals. Heat 13 saw a revitalised Cook take the win despite strong pressure from Riss, and with Batchelor (who rode without goggles for the final lap in deteriorating conditions) in 3rd ahead of Wright (who was off 15m after exceeding the 2 minute time allowance), the Comets still had faint hope of a second leg win at 36-42.

However, the Comets problem was that Redcar’s star, Jason Edwards was out in heat 14 and again the Redcar asset was untroubled in his 3rd win of the afternoon, but with Ben Trigger being passed by Claus Vissing, Redcar could not extend their lead, not that it mattered much to the vocal Bears support.

The final race of a damp afternoon saw Edwards gate once again with Riss making a superb inside pass on Batchelor at the end of lap 1 with both Bears clearing off into the distance for the win in a truly stunning performance on the road.

Workington Comets = 40 (78)

1. Craig Cook = 5
2. James Pearson (G) = 7+1
3. Tate Zischke = 6
4. Claus Vissing = 6+2
5. Troy Batchelor = 8
6. Sam McGurk = 2
7. Paul Starke (G) = 6+2

Redcar Bears = 50 (100)

1. Charles Wright = 6
2. Jonas Knudsen = 2
3. Connor Bailey = 8+1
4. Jason Edwards = 14+1
5. Erik Riss (G) = 13+1
6. Jake Mulford = 6+1
7. Ben Trigger = 1+1