STOKE Easy Rider Potters went out of the Young Shield after going down to a 54-36 defeat against the Workington Comets at Derwent Park last night giving the Comets a 93-75 aggregate victory.

 The Potters got off to a flying start as Klaus Jakobsen and Jason Bunyan gained maximum points in the opening heat over Mark Lemon and Justin Sedgmen to give Stoke the early advantage.

 The Comets struck back in heat two as Craig Cook took victory from Potters reserve Craig Branney while Workington’s John Branney grabbed third place from Tom P Madsen as Branney dived under Madsen in the race to the chequered flag from off the final turn to give the Comets a 4-2 heat advantage, but the Potters still lead 5-7 after two races. 

The next six races resulted in drawn heats as Lee Complin, Robert Ksiezak and Tom P Madsen all won races as the Potters still held a narrow two point lead after eight heats, but things were about to go all wrong for the Potters in the closing seven races.

 Adrian Rymel and John Branney teamed up for a 4-2 over Robert Ksiezak in heat nine as Workington levelled the scores on the night and on aggregate, a further 4-2 in heat ten put the Comets in front for the first time during the tie as Mark Lemon and Justin Sedgmen scored a 4-2 over Lee Complin and Jesper Kristiansen to give Workington a 31-29 lead.

The Potters were still in with a chance of victory and were battling to stay in touch with the Comets as Andre Compton led Jason Bunyan only for Bunyan to lose a chain on the second lap causing the Potters number one to fall heavily as the chain hits the Potters rider, referee Dave Dowling disqualifying the Potters riders as the primary cause of the stoppage. Bunyan got up and walked away after getting his breath back from the crash. In the rerun Compton took victory followed by partner John Branney with Jakobsen in third place to give Workington a maximum 5-1 race win and open up a six point lead.

Workington’s lead was extended at the second time of asking in heat twelve after Jesper Kristiansen falls while in second place and the Potters on for a drawn heat. Kristiansen is disqualified and in the rerun Adrian Rymel heads Tom P Madsen home with John Branney taking third for a 4-2 to the Comets to extend their lead to eight points after twelve heats.

 Home pairing Lemon and Compton were untroubled by Bunyan and Ksiezak in heat thirteen as the Comets were on the verge of securing a place in the final.

 Stoke team manager John Woolridge introduced Lee Complin as a tactical ride in heat fourteen and Complin led until the last lap when Andre Compton drove up the inside of the Potters skipper who went down hitting the Derwent Park safety fence hard, Compton going onto take victory with Madsen taking second place and Craig Cook being gifted third to give Workington a 4-2 race win and securing victory for the defending champions. Complin was down on the track for a considerable time before being taken to hospital as a precaution. Workington lead 49-35. 

The Comets rounded off victory with a maximum heat win from Rymel and Lemon over Ksiezak and Bunyan to give the Comets a 54-36 victory on the night.

 Stoke team manager John Woolridge said “I’m disappointed but if I’m honest we lost this tie at home on Saturday night and we can have no excuses. We needed to bring a lead into the second leg and we might have stood a chance. We gave it our best shot and up until heat ten we were still very much in the meeting but all credit to Workington they pulled things out of the bag in the latter heats and have taken the victory.” 

Workington 54: Adrian Rymel 14, Andre Compton 13+1, Mark Lemon 12+1, John Branney 8+2, Craig Cook 4, Justin Sedgmen 3+2, Richard Lawson (Rider Replacement)

Stoke 36: Tom P Madsen 8+1, Robert Ksiezak 8, Lee Complin 7, Jason Bunyan 5+1, Klaus Jakobsen 5+1, Craig Branney 2, Jesper Kristiansen 1+1