Top flight rookies Mansfield have made it through to the Division One Cup final with an all-round professional performance in the last four tie against Caversham. Having limited the Swans—who had reached this stage of the competition for the first time at the eighth time of asking—to just a two point home win in leg one, it took this weeks return leg hosts just three heats to go in front. Garry Gould (17)—who raced to five of Caversham’s six heat wins in the meeting—took an opening race victory, but the next three belonged to the Yorkies, who cruised eight in front with 4-2’s sandwiching a heat three Eman Kales (9+1)/Ormas Adami (7+1) 5-1. Having taken the aggregate lead, Pete Watmough’s side would remain in front in the tie for the remainder of the night, answering a Swans 5-1 in heat five with one of their own in a race later, while further maximums were traded in heats eight and nine, Kales and Adami taking their second of the night in the latter. Despite the Yorkies dominance, the Mansfield faithful had to wait until heat 14 to celebrate their side’s progression into the final, the minor places from Adami and reserve Victor Zick (4+1) taking them over the line. In the final they’ll once again meet Long Eaton in the competition, the side they beat 56-34 on their way to topping their qualifying group. Despite that result it will be the Rifles who go into the decider as favourites, the current league champions and division one pacesetters having brushed aside Houston this week by seven on aggregate to reach only their second final of the competition, they beat Totton over two legs to win on their previous appearance in SL9.

It’s hard to believe that two seasons ago Lewis Adkins was unable to hold down a team place at Totton. Out of the side in SL15, in SL17 he’s their number one, a GP winner and now the British Champion. The 25 year old has flourished over the past 18 months to become the first name on John Shuttlers team sheet, adding nearly three points to his GSA which now stands at 9.21 and breaking his WSO maiden in the British semi-final early on in the current campaign. He added to that qualifying win on his home circuit this week, topping the standings in front of a partisan crowd by a point from Garry Gould to become national champion. Gould had beaten Adkins when they met in heat three, but he tumbled down the standings with a last place finish three races later. He’d go on to win his next three, but Adkins so did also, before securing the prize with a second place finish behind Julian Harrison (11) in heat 19. Harrison had put himself in contention for a fourth career British podium with that win, however he went on to lose a race-off against Reece Hooper for third spot on the night.

Houston’s Leon Henrichsen (13) has become only the third teenager to win a round in the Grand Prix series. The 19 year old secured top spot on the podium in Gyor this week when following up three heat wins with three second place finishes, the two points in heat 17 confirming his victory as closest rival Tarjei Knutsen (11) finished behind him in the same race. Marcin Jaworski took third in the round, he one of the other two riders that have previously won a GP as a teen, doing so last year, the now 20 year old went on to win the WU21 title, a title both he and Henrichsen will be in hot pursuit of later this season.

Harringay rode to their biggest win in over seven years to reach their first Division Two Cup final. 18 year old Jacob Miles scored a career best 9+3 from his five rides at reserve as the Hoods earned a 62-28 second leg victory over Bournville on home shale, they had lost the reverse fixture by ten. Stirling came through the second of the semi-finals against Wavendon by eight, despite a 51-39 loss on their travels this week. Much closer in the Division Three Cup semi-final at Nottingham, where the hosts missed out on a spot in the decider by two to Southend, the Eagles will take on fellow first time finalists Barnsley for the silverware.

A 40-49 victory at Swinton has taken Long Eaton five points clear at the top of division one as closest rivals Belfast were held to a draw at home by Totton. A second win of the night for second string Edvard Medved (8+1) secured the Rifles their fifth away victory of the campaign in the penultimate heat of their contest at the Spartans, as Belfast conceded a last heat 4-2 to the Tigers, who took their first point at the venue in 11 attempts. Elsewhere it was a mixed week for Caversham, who ended it with a victory at bottom side Sedgley, 40-50, having lost at home to Swinton 41-49 after conceding a last heat 5-1.

Jonathan Symes’ Harringay set the pace in division two for the first time this season after wining their top of the table clash at Bradford. A 42-48 victory for the visitors to Bodhall thanks to a final heat maximum from Julian Harrison (14) and Liam Harris (11+1).