Somerset Rebels 48, Reading Racers 41

READING hope to collect at least an aggregate bonus point in tonight's Premier Trophy return match after losing in Somerset on Friday night.

The pressure will be on at Smallmead Stadium tonight (7.30pm) to win well against Somerset and revive hopes of a Trophy semi-final place.

On Friday, the Rebels nosed in front with a 4-2 in heat three, when veteran Neil Collins and former Racer Glenn Cunningham defeated Racers pair Phil Morris and Andrew Appleton

The Racers levelled the scores with a 4-2 of their own in heat four, when Matej Zagar won his first race of the night over Paul Fry, and team-mate Chris Mills beat Rebels reserve Simon Walker for third place.

Things got better for the Euphony Racers in heat five when a 4-2 put them in front at 16-14. Danny Bird made an excellent start, leading Cunningham from tapes to flag, and Schramm rode a fantastic four laps to hold on to third place ahead of the experienced Collins.

Heat five, however, was a disaster for Reading. Zagar suffered an engine failure at the tapes and reserve Steve Braidford suffered mechanical gremlins on the third lap to gift Rebels pair John Jorgensen and Matt Read a 5-0, to put their side back in front at 19-16.

Reading had better luck in heat eight when Read fell while challenging Mills for third place. Rebels reserve Jamie Smith won the heat ahead of Schramm and Mills, which left the scores at 25-22.

Zagar won heat nine for Reading, ahead of Cunningham and Collins, but Racers' teenage reserve Braidford made Collins work hard for his third place.

Appleton suffered a tapes exclusion at the start of heat 10, forcing team manager Ivan Shears to draft in Mills as a replacement. Jorgensen shot from the tapes for a comfortable win for Somerset but, with partner Read falling again, Racers pair Morris and Mills were able to force another shared heat.

Euphony Racers clawed the lead back to a single point with a 4-2 in heat 11. Bird and Schramm took advantage of a good first corner before Fry eventually passed Schramm for second place.

Rebels pair Collins and Smith shot from the tapes in heat 12 to head Morris and Braidford all the way for a crucial 5-1.

The match was won for Somerset with Smith featuring in another 5-1 in heat 14, with Cunningham leaving Appleton well beaten in third place.

Zagar and Bird hit back with a 4-2 in the final heat but it was not enough.

For Somerset, Smith top-scored from the reserve berth with an excellent 11 (paid 12) from five rides. He received good support from his team-mates, with Cunningham (10), Jorgensen (9), and Fry (7) being the pick of the bunch.

Zagar again topped the Reading score-chart with 11 points and he was ably backed by Bird with 10 (paid 11).

Unfortunately, no other Racer could manage a heat win, al-though Schramm (5, paid 6) and Mills (4, paid 7) worked extremely hard for their points.

Somerset Rebels 48: John Jorgensen 9, Matt Read 5+1, Neil Collins 6+2, Glenn Cunningham 10, Paul Fry 7,Jamie Smith 11+1, Simon Walker 0.

Reading Racers 41: Danny Bird 10+1, Chris Schramm 5+1, Phil Morris 6+1, Andrew Appleton 3, Matej Zagar 11, Steve Braidford 2, Chris Mills 4+3.