Workington Comets slipped to their first home defeat of the season at Derwent Park on Saturday evening when Championship rivals Sheffield came out on top in a last-heat decider, after fighting back from eight points down after just four races to lead with just two races remaining.

With their inspirational skipper Craig Cook racing in Poland for Team GB in the World Cup final, and reserve James Sarjeant injured the Comets resources were stretched, although augmented by guests Danny Ayres (for Sarjeant) and former captain and number one, Ricky Wells, for Cook.

But, Cook, the current British Champion and by far and away the best rider in the league, is irreplaceable and his absence proved too big a handicap to overcome as without him the Comets only took the chequered flag on five out of fifteen occasions and it was that lack of race wins that ultimately proved costly.

Meanwhile, for the Tigers it was two former Comets, Josh Grajczonek and Kyle Howarth, that topped their score-chart with three race wins each in their double-figure returns on a night where on several occasions the visiting riders came from behind to take vital points from the home riders.