More collective disappointment in the European Cup as three of the four British sides in this years competition exit at the first round stage. Home nation hopes lie once again with Don Valley, the only side from these shores to have won the trophy in the last eight years, the three-times winners progress into the last four courtesy of a two point aggregate win over Pila. Having lost by the same result when the two sides last met three years ago, it was a revenge of sorts for the Vipers, who in truth defended their slender four point lead from the first leg in Poland with ease, despite the closeness of the final scores. Pila trailed for much of the return after falling behind to a 5-1 from Liam Hill (10) and Chris Carver in heat three, while a second maximum of the meeting would secure the Vipers passage to the semi-finals with two races to spare, Samuel Murphy (11) and Valeri Lach (9+1) taking them over the line in heat 13. Don Valley face Horsens next, a first for Matt Akers side, who have taken on all the other nine European League sides previously. Giuseppe Mesto (15) scored a maximum for the Danes—who won the competition in SL19—as they completed a one-sided 12 point aggregate win over Manor in round one with a 51-39 home win this week. Denaby meanwhile were unlucky not to be in the hat for round two, they level with Pori gong into the last on the Finnish circuit, before the hosts pulled away to win by four thanks to a Pavel Cisar (14)/Thomas Bond (11+1) 5-1. Last years semi-finalists Merseyside also exited by four after their visit to Malmo, their record against European League opposition now a dismal one win from seven.

Frustration for Denaby as the concession of a last heat 5-1 saw their top of the table battle with Don Valley finish all-square. Samuel Murphy (13) and Valeri Lach (15+1) had both already picked up points as tactical substitutes prior to the maximum that brought the scores back level on the night, a draw a great result for the Vipers considering they had trailed throughout the meeting up until that stage, after falling behind in heat one. The result ends a run of five straight top flight wins for Denaby—who remain second in the table, but now three points adrift of the Vipers—their fifth success in the sequence earned at Laceby earlier in the week, where this time a last heat 5-1 in their favour completed a ten point turnaround in the fixture and secured a 44-46 victory. Callum Osborne (14) and Shane Goodwin (15+3) the match winners for the visitors, the pair also combined for 5-1’s in both heats nine and 13. Manor complete the top three as we head towards the halfway point of the campaign, their meeting at struggling Liden ended in a draw, a great result for Andy Barton’s side, who had trailed by ten after heat six. Miracles second string Joel Bull (9+1) amongst the heat winners late on at the Lagoon Arena.

Sankey moved off the bottom of division two for the first time this season with a win a fellow strugglers Dudley. The Sharks end the week three points adrift of safety in eighth following the 44-46 victory, in which their top five dominated with ten heat wins between them. Recent £368,000 signing Patrick Chapman (10+1) raced to three of the successes after falling in his opener, he then went on to pick up the match winning point in the finale.

Nottingham end the week back in the promotion places in division three after recording their third away win of the current league campaign. It came at Border, a venue they’d taken a draw at in their maiden visit there earlier in SL26 for a Division Three Cup fixture. They went one better this time, taking a 44-46 victory after Daniel Phillips (13+2) finished second to Thomas Davis (14) in the final race, the same position he took to team mate Andy Rose (6+1) in the previous race when in as a tactical substitute, when the Ducks scored the first of their decisive back-to-back 5-1’s. California meanwhile slip from second to fourth after they went down 44-45 at home to Newquay when conceding a last heat 4-2 to Luke Miller (12+1) and Knights’ second string Christopher Harkleroad (10).

Four-time defending World Champion Valeri Lach (13) made it three WSO wins out of three for the season in his latest qualifier at Kassel. In all a 26th career WSO success for the Don Valley star, after he finished a point clear of world number ten Pavel Cisar (12) in the Kassel tie. Buxton’s Sven Roth (12) won the second of this weeks contests in Kalmar, he one of eight of last years GP contingent to make it through to round three this week, Sebastian Lofstrom (6) the only one of the nine competing not to qualify.

After eight straight losses at the DVSA an encouraging draw for Brighton when they took on hosts Don Valley. It came in the first leg of their KO Cup second round tie, they’ll look to complete the upset at home in the return next week.