Three times winners Belfast went into their KO Cup first round tie with second division Long Eaton as underdogs according to their boss Paul Hunt, and maybe he was right to be concerned, as despite a Radim Rabas (15) maximum the Sinks could only eke out a 48-42 first leg win on home shale this week. Having won all six of their home meetings so far this season by a double figure margin the Rifles should be considered favourites to progress, a Long Eaton win would level up the record between the two clubs in the competition, Belfast having so far won two out of the three previous ties. Still a rare recent loss for Long Eaton, who this week extended their winning run in the league to seven, the sixth of those victories recorded at Caversham, 44-46, where a last heat Adam Lucas (12) victory—his fourth of the night—ended a run of four straight league wins for the Swans. Despite the loss to the leaders Caversham remain in the top three in division two, they getting their own promotion challenge back on track at Bradford, where Knute Vik (14) picked off Magnar Maciejewski (11) in the final race to secure an away draw for his side.

Totton led from start to finish in recording their first away win of their SL11 division one campaign at Brookwood. Last weeks £65,000 signing Antony Hollingsworth (5+2) scored points in all four heats he appeared in, the addition of the American providing a double boost for the Tigers as it allowed Joseph Howarth to drop to reserve, where he equalled his season best score of 6+2 as his side ran out 42-48 winners. For the hosts only Harry Nicholls (14) and Terence Slater (17) managed heat wins, while both Sean Byrd and Alex Sawyer failed to score a point between them and combined have now scored just a total of two points over the club’s last three meetings! Having began the week in the relegation zone Totton end it in a season high fourth. The top two meanwhile both picked up away draws, Sedgley’s returned at Belfast as Alex May rocketed to a paid 13 score at reserve, leaders Houston however will be somewhat disappointed with the outcome of their meeting at Solihull, it ending all square after a Cameron Adams (11) retirement in the last handed a 5-1 to the hosts who’d trailed throughout the meeting up until that stage.

37 year old Miksa Mathe (8) has qualified through the first round of the World Championship for a record equalling 11th consecutive season, scraping through by a point in this weeks meeting at Caversham. Home track rider Knute Vik won the qualifier with a 15 point maximum, the meeting victory was the Norwegian’s third in a row at this stage of the competition. World Number two Blake White (9) was amongst the other qualifiers for the second round, as was British duo Derek Stanley and Jason Wallis. Jokke Harvela (14) of Prague won the second of this weeks ties in Plock.

Stoke are up to fifth in division two after they benefited from a last heat fall from home rider Kieran Johnson (9) to win at Herne Bay, 44-46. Earlier in the week the Bombers were held to a home draw by second place Buxton, Jordan Simpson (12) landing a share of the points for Martin Harvey’s side with a win over the hosts’ Justin Pershing (11) in the last. In division three Shetland end the week top thanks to a 40-50 win a Harringay.