With just a lower division success and a couple of Club Pairs wins to their name it’s fair to say Cradley Heath have underachieved in their 24 year history. That could all change in SL25, they’re all but certain to achieve their best ever finish in the league—plus are still in with a shot of the title—and this week made themselves favourites to land the 4TT following a couple of brilliant performances which saw them win their semi-final. With four of the current division one top six sides in their group, it was certainly the toughest of the three ties at this stage of the competition. Cradley set their stall out immediately, shocking hosts Don Valley by winning leg one at the DVSA, Rudolf Svatek (11), Bradley Law (10) and Graham Hancock (10) all scoring in double figures to give the Hammers a dream start. An unexpected three point lead was converted into a 12 point advantage for Stuart Mills’s quartet by the end leg two, three heat wins apiece this time for Law (11) and Hancock (11) as the Hammers racked up 35 to the Vipers 26 points on home shale. Their points scoring machine ground to a halt at Ramsgate in leg three, just 20 going their way at the Rams, but luckily for them the Vipers too were having an off night, scoring a paltry 12, with Valeri Lach (5)—who’d dropped just a point over the course of the opening two legs—finishing without a race win. Now 20 points up the remaining meeting at Denaby proved to be a formality for the Hammers, who cruised through to only their fourth final appearance in their history, one they’ll go into which big ambitions of winning it.

At the start of the year not many would have given Wednesfield a chance of reaching the 4TT decider. However the second division side—in just their third season in the league—have made it through to what will be their first ever major final, the unbeaten Jermu Ramo (12) and Stuart Greenwood (10) picking up seven wins from their combined eight races as the Wanderers sneaked to a two point aggregate victory with a final leg success. They topped the standings from fellow second tier side Birmingham, top flight side Merseyside finishing 19 points off the pace in fourth. Altrincham became the fifth side from division one to exit after scoring just 63 over the four legs of their tie, one which was comprehensively won by Manor (123), who have lifted the trophy in each of the last four seasons. Dumpton finished second to the Miracles with 106 and as a result go through to the last four as the highest scoring runners-up over the three semi-finals.

Accommodating Massimo Tedesco at reserve proved to be a masterstroke by Andy Barton as his Manor side smashed hosts Don Valley 37-53 in the first leg of their KO Cup semi-final. The 23 year old Italian scored a season-best 15+3 from his seven rides as the Miracles inflicted the Vipers biggest ever defeat at the DVSA, although having won there in their league by 12 earlier in the season, perhaps the result was not that much of a surprise? Valeri Lach scored 18 out of 18 in the latest loss, but his team mates didn’t win a race and picked up just five second places between them! In contrast Tedesco was one of four race winners for Manor, second string Daniel Potts (11) amongst that quartet, he dropping just a point from his three rides to also finish the night with a new high score for the season. Manor had lost all four of their previous KO Cup meetings against Don Valley, this win though should be enough to see them through to their third final appearance in four years. Earlier in the week Barton’s side had fought back from eight down to record a 44-46 league win at Quantock, a result which took them back up to second place in the division one standings.

Denaby lead the way in division one once again after a two week absence from the summit. A winning trip to bottom side Altrincham took them there, Zarek Jablonski scoring 16 for the Devils as they fought back from eight down to with the meeting 41-49 with a last heat Jablonski/Lesta Markoff (12+2) 5-1. In division two back-to-back wins—which included a ten point success at bottom side Bolsover—took Sankey out of the relegation places for the first time in five months, while Wednesfield—41-49 at Somerset—also won on the road. A home defeat for London against Dudley the biggest taking point in division three, the second placed Jaguars—who’d earlier won at Lye by six—going down to their first loss of the campaign at the Wembley Bowl, 42-48, following a last heat David Williams (10) winning 4-2. Liam Marlow (11) failed to finish for the hosts in the decider after suffering his second fall of the meeting.

Pila’s Blake Watson (12) moved to within two of the World Championship lead with his second successive GP victory. The Aussie won the round in Malmo by two from a group of four riders, which included series leader Samuel Murphy (10), who took second spot following a race-off.