A statement win at Denaby and a stunning Club Pairs semi-final tie victory. This week couldn’t have gone much better for Don Valley. A clean sweep of domestic trophies last season for the Vipers; and already it’s hard to see anyone stopping them doing the same in SL27. Denaby finished runners-up to them in four competitions in SL26, including going a close second in the league. They though end the opening month seventh after suffering a 43-47 defeat to the champions on their own Hellodrome circuit, the loss their first on home shale in 38 competitive meetings there and only their second in 79! A last heat Valeri Lach (17)/Samuel Murphy (12+1) 5-1 did for them in a meeting they had twice led in by six, the visiting side’s second heat maximum of the contest—the first came in heat eight when Lach was used as a tactical substitute—earning the Vipers their fourth league win of four in SL27 to take them two points clear at the top of the standings. The result is made even more impressive by the fact that the Devils themselves won on the road earlier in the week at Southampton, where three 5-1’s in the space of five heats and then a last race 4-2 saw them take the points, 42-48. In-between Don Valley strolled into their fourth successive Club Pairs Final by winning their opening tie of this season’s campaign at Bolsover, defending champions Valeri Lach (14) and Samuel Murphy (13)—who received a bye in round one—scoring four 5-1’s from six heats on their way to a five point victory over Brighton (22), with Manor (20) completing the qualifiers from the tie into next weeks final at Laceby.

Four sides from division two will join the three top flight qualifiers in this years Club Pairs final. The second of this weeks semi-finals in Newquay was won jointly by Buxton and Quantock, the two—represented by the pairings of Sven Roth (12) and Diederik Grondlund (10) plus Ota Duch (14) and Federico Castellini (8) respectively—scoring 22 apiece to finish three points clear of fellow qualifiers Hertford and California. Quantock have won the competition twice previously, although their second win came some 20 years ago now.

Despite Don Valley’s success it’s Manor who are the only unbeaten side in all competitions away from home in SL27. The Miracles made it two wins out of two in division one on their travels—having also drawn on their cup visit to Southampton—when leading from heat two onwards to take a 44-46 victory at Cradley Heath. A 5-1 won by reserve Patrick Clark (7+1) took them in front, a lead that was up to eight points by the end of heat four thanks to 4-2’s won in succession by Callum Nash (10) and Joel Bull (7). A second Miracles 5-1 of the meeting in heat 11 all but put the result beyond doubt, that one won by Liam Hill (11) took Andy Barton’s side ten up with just four heats remaining. A last heat 5-1 proved to be consolidation only for the hosts, who also went on to lose at Merseyside, 50-39, and as a result are still looking for their first league points of the campaign. As are London, who again lost home and away, the former a 39-51 defeat to Brighton, whose top two of Dale Bailey (14+1) and Waclaw Kozlowski (14+1) both finished the meeting with maximums. The victory was Brighton’s biggest ever in the league on their travels, the loss a league record too at the Wembley Bowl for the Jaguars.

Ramsgate remain top of division two but dropped their first point of the season on their visit to Hertford. The sides were separated by two divisions last season, but it was the newly promoted Bears who looked like taking both points, that was until the very final heat, when they conceded a 5-1 to the Jacob Brady (12+1)/Alexander Wagner (12+1) partnership. Hertford recovered to claim their first away win of the season, they beating Buxton on the road 43-47 thanks to a great all round team showing, in which each of their top five contributed at least one race win. Buxton’s earlier meeting at Quantock had finished all-square, where their 19 year old American reserve Antonio Feltch scored a season best 8+2. Elsewhere Wednesfield recovered from their poor start to the season—they lost both their openers—by winning home and away in the league, the latter a 42-48 success at Sankey. However they did lose at home in the Division Two Cup (43-47 to California), as did Buxton (42-48 to Nottingham).

Liam Marlow (13) put behind him his poor start to the season for his club side London by winning his British Championship semi-final at Denaby. The 37 year old topping the standings from home rider Shane Goodwin (11) to claim his 28th WSO meeting win—but his first in five years—only Valeri Lach (30) has more victories. Manor’s Callum Nash (13) won the second of the ties at Buxton.