Belle Vue Colts v Eastbourne Seagulls

Report

BELLE Vue edged out Eastbourne 46-43 in a last-heat decider in the National Development League.

The Seagulls took a 5-1 from Heat 14 and needed to repeat the feat in the last race to snatch victory, but Colts guest No.1 Jack Smith won it for his former club.

Smith scored 14 points for the home side, beaten only by his opposite number Jake Knight in Heat 1, whilst youngster Nathan Ablitt piled up 16+2 at reserve for the visitors as they came away with a league point.

Colts star Paul Bowen (8+1) said: “It was a big blow to lose Sam (McGurk) so early in the meeting. For someone who is only in his first full season of NDL racing he is already a big presence for us at reserve.

“We knew we were going to have to work even harder after that if we wanted the win, but everybody knuckled down and chipped away, and I think we got the result we deserved.”

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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES