More pain in the league for Netherton who are still looking for their first point in the top flight after two months of racing. They do however have some way to go to beat the worse start ever to a league season, Kent lost their first 16 division one meetings in SL15 and they didn’t claim a win until round 23! Newport Pagnell became the latest side to enjoy the hospitality at Dudley Wood, the Knights 43-47 winners at the black country venue. At the opposite end of the spectrum, leaders Whitemoor have now won eight out of eight, they now just one shy of Pennsylvania’s top flight record of nine wins out of the first nine in SL23. Both Whitby and Whitehaven won the first 13 in their respective SL11 and SL3 division two campaigns. It was a close run thing for the Witches at Claygate though, they needing a last heat 5-1 to maintain their winning start, their fourth maximum of the night earning them a 44-46 victory. Meanwhile it was away league win number two of the campaign for Chalvington, 5-1’s in heats 13 and 15 for unbeaten pair Jason Danoff (15) and Bengt Karim (13+2) securing the Chiefs a 42-48 victory at Sedgemoor.

Bridgwater’s Odell Espeseth (13) made a winning start to his world title defence in the opening qualifier of the SL29 championship in Warsaw. The 27 year old winning a race-off against world number four Mike Conlon to secure what was only his fourth WSO meeting win of his career. At five years his junior, Sedgemoor’s 22 year old Mikhail Lukashevich (13) already now has four WSO successes to his name, the Estonian SL26 and 27 WU21 Champion making a winning debut to his full World Championship career in the second of this weeks qualifiers in Pori. Lukashevich’s single point victory over GP veteran Valeri Elin certainly a surprise, given he was the second lowest averaged rider in the field.

Bolsover maintained their winning run in division two despite the averaged enforced loss of second string Marcus Polish from their line-up. His replacement in the septet—17 year old Kiwi Joel Grant—was paid for nine in his five rides as the Kings made it seven straight league victories at Wordsley, 44-46. Two points was also the winning margin for Wimlington on their trip to Great Barr, the Ravens slipping to the bottom of the standings following the defeat. In the Division Two Cup Coalville became the first side to reach the semi-finals of this years competition, a home 49-41 win over Glasshoughton securing the debutants a place in the last four.

After back-to-back 46-44 successes, Newington gave their fans’ nerves a break with a resounding 35-55 victory at Bristol in the Division Three Cup. Phil Watmough’s side continuing their strong debut season with the rout, which secures them a place in the semi-finals with a round of racing to spare. Halesowen are in a strong position to join them in the last four thanks to their 42-47 win at Dartford, in which Milan Rak (15) scored his fifth full maximum in seven meetings! A home defeat too in the league for Bristol, who went down to a ten point loss at the City Sanctuary with the visit of Wimbledon. Earlier Wimbledon had been held to a draw at home by Loughton, Joshua Russell’s (13) last heat win securing a point for the visitors.