After last season’s semi final home loss to Stafford fans of Warley were taking nothing for granted when they turned up to see them side face Doncaster in the second leg of their last four tie in this years competition. So despite leading by seven from the first leg the home side knew this wasn’t over yet, however any trepidation of what was to come was soon over, a nerveless workmanlike first five heats taking the Warriors ten up on the night and out of sight on aggregate. Robert Pappas (12+1) and Janne Turpeinen (6+2) did much of the damage to the visitors, scoring both a 5-1 and 4-2 in the opening third of the clash, and although Boston claimed three advantages of their own in the next six thanks to the use of tactical substitutes, the tie would be over as a contest by the end of heat 13. It’s a first ever final in the competition for Warley in their 21 year history, qualification also secures Adrian Heathcote’s side a long awaited European Cup debut in SL30.

With 30 appearances under his belt in SL29 Jeremenko Kirjakov has ridden in more league meetings this season for Pila than the previous six combined. And what a year it’s turning out to be for the 28 year old Russian, he’s upped his average in the European League by over two points to 9.96 and having qualified to the GP’s for the first time by winning the Continental Final, he this week won a round in the series in only his second appearance in it. A last heat win over Abdul Mattiasson (5) took him to 13 points in the main meeting, level with Boston’s Vlastimil Lidvin who’d just come off a run of four straight wins. A veteran of 22 GP’s Lidvin was looking to win his first, it was not to be for the home nation rider though, Kirjakov promptly out of the gate and in front coming out of the second bend, with his path blocked Lidvin lost pace and his prey was away and gone. Richard Coward (11) picked up third on the night after beating Krisztian Madar in a race-off, opening round winner Viktor Visek finished fifth, Visek now shares the lead of the series alongside Lidvin.

An away point and the bonus at Pitsea has boosted St Barts promotion chances, the sides who began the week separated by just points difference in third and fourth, may reside in the same positions but are now three points apart. David Grainger will be pleased with the return, but perhaps slightly disappointed his side didn’t claim a fourth away win of their division two campaign, Ben Snodin (14) gunning for a fifth straight heat win in the last, one which would have given his side victory, however he was beaten by Jacob Harvey (13), Pitsea gained a 4-2 and the scores finished level. The bonus point though St Barts, 89-91, a point that takes them to within one of leaders Timperley, who will host them on their next away league meeting. Elsewhere a draw for Heatherdale at Buxton helped them to move level on points with Pitsea in fifth, any one of the top five still firmly in reach of securing promotion this season.

In division three Dudley moved to within five points of claiming a promotion spot with still six meetings left to ride. A draw at Fenny Stratford taking Tim Foster’s Tigers eight clear of Midland in second and 14 better off than fourth placed Hawick, a last heat win for unheralded Brit’ Richard Lewis (12+1) clinching two of the three league points on offer for his side.