IN ONE of the most dramatic matches seen for a very long time, the Isle of Wight pulled off a stunning 47-46 victory at Reading on Sunday in the Premier Trophy.

But the Islanders were quickly brought back down to earth yesterday at Rye House's small 240 metre slick track, losing 61-32.

The Reading encounter was a true fans' night of excitement from start to finish, with Craig Boyce outpacing ex-Islander Danny Bird in heat one.

The home side led after a 5-1 in heat two, and the next three heats were shared as the gap stayed at four points (17-13).

But heat six will go down as the talking point as Bird and the spectacular Jason Bunyan passed and re-passed before Bunyan shut the door firmly in Bird's face - the latter slamming into the safety fence. Bunyan was excluded for dangerous riding, but the damage to the home rider was a broken leg.

The race was awarded to Bird, who was taken to hospital after lengthy treatment on the track. It made the score 21-15.

Matej Zagar duly won heat seven, with Marsh and Ostergaard making sure it was a shared heat.

Heats eight, nine and ten all went to the visitors 5-1 in an amazing burst of speed, firstly by newcomers Hauzinger and Doyle, then Bunyan and Jensen and Marsh and Ostergaard. It turned the match, the Islanders 33-27 ahead.

Zagar again stopped the rot with a wonderful display of racing in heat 11 as he beat Boyce for the first time, before the impressive Marsh and Jensen pairing increased the Islanders' advantage to 40-32.

Boyce then outpaced Zagar with Bunyan taking third and the difference was ten at 44-34.

Zagar was brought in as a tactical ride in the 14th heat and duly won.

Zagar again lowered Boyce's colours in the final heat but the latter's second place over Appleton made sure it was the vast number of travelling fans who went home happy.

SCORERS:

Reading: Bird 5, Mills 3, Wolff 2, Appleton 8, Zagar 20, Johnson 2, Tresarrieu 6.

Isle of Wight: Boyce 13, Hauzinger 4, Marsh 9, Ostergaard 6, Bunyan 5, Jensen 6, Doyle 4.

The Islanders won the last two heats yesterday but it was too late by then. Craig Boyce once again shone ( including a fall) with 15 points with Ulrich Ostergaard on six.

Next fixture is on the Island this evening against Reading (7.30pm) when the Islanders will hope for two more points plus the bonus.