A maximum from 18 year old sensation Jan Vogel (15) has propelled Barnsley to the verge of a place in the KO Cup second round. And it will come at the expense of top flight side Balham. Barnsley—who finished tenth in the third tier last season on debut under the Perth ‘moniker’—look set to add another defeat to the Bombardiers awful record in the competition following a first leg 58-32 rout, Andy Fowler’s side have lost five of their previous KO Cup six ties. German teen Vogel was sensational as he scored his first career full five ride maximum in a team fixture, a performance which will only increase the likelihood of a big money sale to one of the league’s more established clubs, plenty had already sat up and took note when he scored 15 in winning his WU19 semi-final in Kekava earlier in the season. A season he’s put nearly two points on his average to become a heat leader at the Stairfoot Arena. Vogel’s five wins in the cup success was half the tally managed by Matt Akers’ hosts, with three coming from loanee Isakov Pavel (12+2) as well as successes for Vadim Kosel (9+1) and another 18 year old, reserve Mandek Grabowski. Having led by eight at the halfway point, three 5-1’s and three 4-2’s in the remaining seven races gave the Bears a 26 point advantage heading into the second leg, which should prove more than enough to see them progress. Totton are another side in danger of exiting to lower division opponents, Abdy earning a surprise draw when then travelled to the Testwood for the first leg of their tie this week, the Aces own 18 year old—Tyler Needleman—impressing with 8+2 from his five rides at reserve.

Samuel Hill (7) has become only the second defending champion to fail to progress beyond the first round of the World Championship. Then two-time defending champion Magnar Maciejewski fell at the first in SL3, 14 years on Hill failed to win a race on his seasonal debut in Heath, despite only one rider in the field having a higher GSA than himself. Another thing the two riders have in common is that they were 32 at the time, Hill though will take some solace from the fact that Maciejewski did qualify for the GP’s again a year later, and reached the third round as a 43 year old! Totton and England’s Bradley Turnbull (13) won the tie in Heath, the now 26 year old was also victorious at this stage of the World Championship last season, but has yet to go beyond the second round in his career. Pori youngster Igor Hovda (14) won the second of this weeks qualifiers in Plock.

Hallamshire reach the ten meeting mark of the league campaign with just one win under their belts. The SL15 champions sit bottom of the table and five points adrift of safety following a 15 point defeat at the hands of Totton on their home Tapton Wreck circuit, the lost would have been the club’s biggest in their 372 competitive meetings at the venue, if it wasn’t for the 37-53 defeat to Mansfield in the Division One Cup the previous week! The home bottom three—with an average age of 19—scored just two points between them, the first of those courtesy of a Bradley Turnbull (9) exclusion in heat one, the second coming on the wrong end of a 5-1 a heat later! Totton took the lead with that maximum and didn’t look back, adding a further 5-1 and six 4-2’s on their way to their biggest away win in seven years. Totton move up to a season high second with the success, a point off leaders Belfast.

Bradford’s unbeaten start to their division two campaign came to an end with a 50-40 defeat at East Hull. The Flyers consolidating their place in the promotion places with the win, although they missed out on the bonus after Ross Nicholls (17) won a deciding race-off. It was a victory which was proceeded by a 43-47 success at Stoke for the club, where Jarek Szczepansk (14) won four out of his five races at the Bombers, including the last heat decider. It was the best performance from the Pole of the season, he having slipped to second string in the side having began SL17 at number one. Harringay continue to split Bradford and East Hull in the standings, with a 40-50 victory at Chesterfield taking them to within a point of the leaders. That was the Coyotes sixth straight league loss, but still they remain ahead of Peak District rivals Buxton in the standings, the two locked on three points—the lowest total in the country—with the Bees losing their latest home fixture against Bournville, 43-47.

Dudley have slipped back to the foot of division three after failing to win either of their league meetings this week. Even with an 18 point maximum from outgoing World Champion Samuel Hill they failed to get both points in their home fixture with Ernsford Grange, in fact only thanks to a last heat 5-1 from Hill and Radim Rabas (10+1) did they manage to snatch a draw. Former Swinton rider William Cunningham (7+3) impressed for the visitors on debut at reserve following his recent £30,000 switch to the club.