Four times winners and eight times finalists Stowmarket have been eliminated from the KO Cup in the opening round for the first time in their history. An 19 season run of second round appearances for the Witches brought to an end by Scottish side Linlithgow, who completed an eight point aggregate win over the Witches at Green Meadow this week. Lions boss Ross Purnell would have gone into the return full of confidence given his side’s 14 point first leg win, however with that advantage down to six by the end of heat four of the return, that confidence had dwindled fast. He needn’t have worried however, the next five heats belonged to the visitors as they struck back with five successive victories, bringing with them four 4-2’s which levelled the scores on the night. Dirk Miller (17) won three of those—one as a tactical substitute—he would return to the track for his fourth victory of five on the night in heat 13, with it came another 4-2 which in turn sealed the Lions their spot in the last-16 at the expense of Stowmarket. Linlithgow go on to face Wentworth in the next round, the Trappers having following up an 18 point home success over debutants Didsbury Village with another by the same score on their travels this week. Wentworth’s clash with the Lions is one of three all-top flight affairs in the second round, the other two seeing holders Leeds face Cradley Heath, while the most successful side in the competition with six wins, Eastbourne, take on Coalville. Coalville scraped through to the second round against Wolverhampton thanks to a last heat 4-2 from their top pairing of Daniel Waller (13) and Travis Foxman (11+2) at the Wolves this week. One giant-killing avoided, just, another though completed with division three side Beverley winning their tie against Wimbledon by four despite a 51-39 defeat at the Dogs Bowl. Regular heat wins throughout the night from Piotr Slusarski (16) key to the success which sets them up with a last-16 tie against Huntingdon. Third tier sides Margate, Small Heath and Calderwood are also through to the next round, the trio having all beating second division opposition in round one.

World number three Aaron Macaulay (14) raced to a record extending sixth British Championship victory to move a step closer to a 13th GP series appearance. Only Nathan Kay (9) has featured in more, his series tally standing at 15, which still could become 16 for the 41 year old in SL32, he progressing into the Overseas Final alongside Leeds’ Macaulay after finishing fifth in Cradley this week. Fellow SL31 GP riders Owen Mitchell (13) and Mark Jolly (10) also made it through to the Overseas Final from the meeting, while the world numbers five and 11—Travis Foxman (10) and Christopher Hall (8)—progressed into the tie from the Pacific Final. The meeting on the American east coast in Richmond was won by Wentworth’s Kyle Ostrow with a 15 point maximum, it was the American’s first career success in a WSO contest.

Kyle Ostrow’s first meeting back in the UK was at Wimbledon were he scored just seven for Wentworth in their division one clash. Despite a season low from their tired number one, the Trappers pulled off a club record 36-54 away success, ending a run of six straight defeats in their previous league fixtures at the venue in style. Magnar Sobczak (13) and Fiske Wahlquist (9+1) secured the Trappers their second league victory of the campaign with a 5-1 in heat 13, that one of four heat maximums scored by the visitors on the night. The result sees them close to within a point of leaders Stowmarket, who were held to a draw by bottom of the table hosts Runcorn in their latest fixture. Elsewhere Joshua Cartwright broke Epto records galore in scoring 17+2 at reserve for Leeds as they won at Coalville, 38-52, the 22 year old—who’s GSA has increased from 3.00 to 8.13 at the change this week—beat every single one of the home riders at least once at the night. Leeds have now won four of their last five league meetings at Coalville, the latest success—the biggest of their ten at the venue—sees them end the week third, just two points off top spot. Coalville drop below Eastbourne and into fifth, the Seagulls picked up a draw in their latest league meeting at Brickhill with a last heat 5-1.

Greenhill ended the week in the division two promotion places following a 43-47 victory at Mid Cams. The two sides began the week just a point apart in the standings, the difference in now six, with the Harriers slipping into the relegation places as a result of their first loss of the season. It was confirmed by a Lurchers heat 14 5-1 scored by Marius Morstad (8+2) and Russell Lewis (7+2), the third such score by the visiting side on the night. Dudley meanwhile equalled their club record run of 11 unbeaten in the league with a 48-42 home win over Coventry, but failed to set a new best in their later clash at Bradwell, the leaders going down at the Bandits, 46-44.