Just a week after Denaby’s two year reign as KO Cup holders came to an end they have made it through to the final of the Division One Cup. Looking to win the competition in any of its guises for the first time, the Devils reached the decider by the slimmest of margins, beating Manor by a single point on aggregate following a dramatic end to their semi-final at the Miracles’ Bishops Arena. Home top man Joseph Wall (12) had won all four of his previous races heading into heat 15, he would go in alongside second string Joel Bull (13+1)—who’d dropped just a point in his scheduled outings—needing to take a 5-1 for the SL24 winners to progress to their second final in three years. The opportunity would come and go in a blink of an eye, Wall clipping the back wheel of Ladislav Zgonc (10+1) trying to take the lead on the opening lap, both riders came down, the Brit the one excluded from the re-run. With Callum Osborne failing to finish the second running of the race, it was left to Zgonc to pick up a gift two points in the third running to seal the Devils progression, a 49-40 loss on the night for Steve Pearce’s visitors, but it’s they who will go on to battle for the trophy. Record seven-times winners and current league leaders Don Valley await the Devils in that decider, the Vipers making it through to their 13th final thanks to a 16 point aggregate victory over Cradley Heath at the last four stage, one completed with a 43-47 success on their travels this week. The win—only their second in their last 14 visits to the Dudley Wood Arena—was completed with a last heat 4-2 from Valeri Lach (14) and Samuel Murphy (9+1).

Both semi-finals of this season’s Division Two Cup were level on aggregate heading into the final races. Southampton and Altrincham came out on top in the ties against Wednesfield and London respectively, the Scorpions winning theirs by two on aggregate after a 51-39 home victory—Blake Gray (10+1) and George Farley (13) providing the match winning 4-2—Altrincham meanwhile shocked the Jaguars by progressing with a last heat 5-1 on their travels. Liam Marlow (12) had won four out of four for the hosts prior to the decider, but finished last in that with Zarek Jablonski (13) and Thomas Bonne (11+2) picking up the maximum for Garry Robinson’s side. Altrincham are looking to win the competition for a record third time, Southampton a first time in what is their second final appearance, their previous one came in SL2, the season they were last racing at this level!

We are guaranteed first time winners of the Division Three Cup in SL26 with Nottingham and Benfleet both making in comfortably through to this years final. The two clubs scored 56-34 home wins over semi final opponents California and Hull respectively this week, to progress by 20 and 14 points on aggregate.

Don Valley’s 22 meeting winning division one run came to an end with a draw at the DVSA against Laceby. The Avenues became the first side to take a point off the Vipers at the venue since Manor beat them there nearly 18 months ago, that despite only managing to take five of the 15 heat wins on the night. A draw too for Don Valley on their travels, with the scores in their meeting at bottom side Liden finished tied thanks to a last heat visiting side 5-1. Cradley Heath also had to settle for a share of the spoils in their top flight encounter with visitors Denaby, the Devils closing to within five points of the leaders with the result, secured with a Callum Osborne (11+1)/Shane Goodwin (13+1) 5-1. However there was no deadlock at Ramsgate, where the struggling hosts went down to their seventh home league defeat of SL26, Brighton returning a 42-48 victory with the help of strong scoring from their third heat leader David Johnson (13) and reserve Davide Mancini (9+1).

Southampton are back in the division two promotion places after ending the week with a 43-47 victory at Dudley. Blake Gray (15) and George Farley (11+2) scored a last heat 5-1 to earn the Scorpions the lead for the first time in a fixture that they had trailed in by eight, Gray also won his tactical substitute ride, one of ten successes for the visiting heat leader trio in the meeting. In division three Benfleet equalled their biggest ever away win after smashing California 37-53 on their travels, reserve Jack Maynard (10+1) was amongst the heat winners for the Bees. Elsewhere leaders Bolsover dropped their first home point of the campaign after being held to a draw by third placed Hertford, the Bears home meeting with Newquay also finished all-square.

Tonda Kalis—who cost Quantock £21,000 last season—scored 14 in this weeks final to become the second Slovakian in as many years and the third overall to win the WU19 Championship.