Southampton Cycle Speedway Club recorded their first Division 1 Premier League victory of the season when they defeated Leicester in an action-packed meeting on their Winchester Road track.

The Saints recorded 6-4 advantages in the opening two races, thanks to wins from skipper Gavin Wheeler and Shirley youngster Damon Hurst.

Saints took a share of the points in the third heat when Lee Galley and Dennis Hubble filled the minor places.

In the fourth heat there was a scare for Saints when Colin Wheeler - Gavin's father - was thrown off his bike after his chain came off.

Colin landed on his head and required lengthy treatment, but escaped with cuts and bruises.

With Saints reduced to just seven riders, Leicester grasped their opportunity and by the halfway stage had levelled at 44-44.

The sides still couldn't be split in the first five races after the interval with the points shared 5-5 on each occasion.

The deadlock was broken in heat 15 when Leicester's Norman Vension inadvertently caught Toby Millen's front wheel with his foot, bringing him crashing to the ground.

Vension was excluded and the race awarded to Millen, giving the Saints a 6-3 heat win.

Dennis Hubble and Damon Hurst scored a 6-4 advantage in the next heat to give the Saints an 86-81 lead with just two heats remaining.

Leicester pulled two points back in the penultimate race but a 6-4 advantage from Millen and Galley in the final race ensured Saints' victory.

Saints: Nathan Harris 17+1 (5), Dennis Hubble 17+1 (5), Gavin Wheeler 17 (5), Lee Galley 14 (5), Toby Millen 12 (5), Damon Hurst 8 (5), Tom Colling 6 (5) and Colin Wheeler 0 (1).

The second team match that followed was equally as entertaining as the first team's contest.

Saints gave away 15 penalty points for using two riders who had ridden in the earlier match, while Leicester were penalised 25 points for using three riders from their first team.

The Saints only managed to provide three race wins from the opening 12 heats, all from Damon Hurst, but they did a good job filling the minor places to share the heats on eight occasions.

Saints went into the final heat leading 81-79 but had to settle for an 85-85 draw thanks to Barry Janaway remounting after hitting the fence on the third lap.

Saints: Damon Hurst 18 (5), Barry Janaway 10+2 (5), Tom Colling 10+1 (4),Graham Haswell 8+1 (4), Nick Penny 8 (4) and Paul Janaway 6+2 (4).

This weekend the Saints are in Premier League action at Horspath, on the outskirts of Oxford.