After a couple of defeats on the road in recent weeks Stafford Angels got back to winning ways on their travels against Mossbay Ranchers, a 43-47 win was their fifth away from the Riso Cathedral this season and gives them a six point lead at the top of the division one table. Barring a massive home defeat to defending champions Coventry next week the result means that the Simon Humphreys side will lead the championship race at the halfway point, the title has followed in the last five season’s for the club in that position. 18 year old James Jackson was back in the Stafford side for the trip to Cumbria, he paid for seven points in the victory, but the Angels leading junior missed the opportunity of becoming the match winner in the penultimate heat, although with Kevin Galt (14) and Ovano Kollyerski in opposition no one can blame the youngster there. A Ranchers 5-1 in that only delayed the inevitable, Markus Innanen (13) and John Bingly (7+2) picking up the minor places in the last to seal the win. Credit to Mossbay though, they took the defeat on the chin and responded well, their first season in the top flight is all about survival and to that aim results against the sides around them in the table are doubly important. So a 44-46 victory at Brookwood Scorpions was met with great delight by their substantial visiting support, although after five heats many would have wondered why they’d made the journey across the Pennines. Two 5-1’s—both involving reserve Alistair Scott (7+2)—and a 4-2 had taken the home side into a ten point lead at the one-third stage of the clash, but the run of successes came to an abrupt end. Rain Valuiski’s (12+1) win in heat six was the first of eight victories in nine races for the visitors, a sequence which included maximum points in heats seven, 12 and 13. Mossbay were now two up with two to ride, they required two 3-3’s to see out their second away victory of the season and that’s just what they got. Like for Mossbay, Brookwood’s home defeat was countered by an away win, theirs returned earlier in the week at Hull (42-48), a Robert Slapp winning heat 14 5-1 ensuring the trip down the M18 would be a fruitful one. The result sees Hull drop into the bottom four, Mossbay climbing out at their expense. Elsewhere B’ham’s struggle for form continues, they requiring a last heat 5-1 to salvage a draw from their home meeting with Tibthorpe, while the Ravens themselves dropped a home point when Coventry fought back from a ten point deficit to earn a draw at Manor Farm.