Altrincham will go on to meet Bolsover in the second round of the KO Cup after the Braves won their battle of the third tier big guns. Another tie settled by a two point margin when the top two in division three met at Hertford this week, the visitors overturning an aggregate deficit with successive 4-2’s at the death, Mauro Bruno (11+1) winning heat 14 before taking a crucial point for third in the last, a race won by his team mate, Zsolt Mezo (14). At the other end of the scale Brighton raced to the second biggest KO Cup aggregate win of all time in beating Hull 30-60 on their travels, two runs of three successive 5-1’s the highlight for the visitors as they smashed their third division opponents 124-56 on aggregate. The win is also Brighton’s biggest by far away from home, and was only two points shy of the best ever on the road in any competition by any club. Brighton go on to meet Don Valley in one of two all top-flight second round ties, last years runners-up Manor face Laceby in the other.

Don Valley’s Valeri Lach (11) began his bid for a record extending fifth successive World title with victory in his first round tie at Buxton. The 29 year old beat Aaron Raisanen in a race-off between the two in the meeting at Buxton, the success the Russian’s 25th in his WSO career, and his third at this stage of the championship. Fellow SL25 GP riders Rudolf Svatek (9) and Alexander Wagner (9) also progressed from the qualifier, while world number 14 Dale Bailey (9) safely negotiated a path through the second of this week’s ties in Prague, which was won by Tottenham’s Rami Honkala (12).

Don Valley reach the one-third mark of the campaign three points clear at the top of the league standings. Valeri Lach (18) and Samuel Murphy (11+3) 5-1’s in heats nine, 11 and 15 helped the Vipers recover from six down to win their latest away division one clash at Merseyside, 44-46, the victory their fifth on their travels already this season in all competitions. Denaby moved above Manor and back up into second spot after they won at Liden, 41-49, the Devils top four racing to ten heat wins between them, scoring a combined 43 points to their opposite numbers 30.

Altrincham stamped their authority on division two with a win at another of the promotion contenders London. The Panthers ending the week three points clear at the head of the standings following the 42-48 success, in which their top four dominated. Ten heat wins for their lead quartet, with the victory set up by a couple of 5-1’s from the partnership at three and four, Claus Kalberg (12+1) and Thomas Bonne (8+3). London bounced back from their first home defeat of the SL26 league campaign by claiming their second away from home, the minor places in heat 14 from Corey Wolin (11) and reserve Viliam Dvorsky (6+3) securing them the points in an eventual 44-46 win at Buxton. The Braves earlier meeting at second placed Quantock had finished all-square, the visitors claiming a surprise point at the Rangers with the help of a 14 point haul from Seven Roth. In division three there was a second away win of the campaign for California, reserve Callum Holland (9+2) winning a penultimate heat 5-1 to secure the points in the 41-49 win at Hull. The Poppies home meeting with Hertford though finished level.