Southampton's Chrysalis Racing team celebrated a top-six finish on a day when another city rider saw his British Supersport Championship prospects falter at Snetterton.

John Crockford, second in the opening round at Silverstone, was again looking good for a healthy points haul when the chain of his Padgett Honda snapped and he had to retire.

The rider from Bitterne had moved up to fourth place, passing championship leader Karl Harris and smashing the lap record in the process when the chain broke on the seventh lap. "It was a sickener because I was moving up on the third man," said Crockford.

It was to the benefit of the Chrysalis team and their former British championship rider John McGuinness who had qualified a brand new Honda CRB 600 in tenth place and through the race steadily picked off places to eventually finish sixth.

Two of McGuinness's early-race targets were the factory Triumphs of Jim Moodie and Craig Jones who he eventually caught and passed. Then he picked up another place when defending champion Stuart Easton retired his Ducati with a miss-fire.

The race was won by Team Vitrans Honda rider Michael Laverty, from first-round winner Harris on the factory bike.

Chrysalis team manager Lee Morris said: "John had only completed a handful of laps on the new bike and it's a credit to his ability that he has brought it home so strongly."

McGuinness said: "The bike was really strong and, although there is room for improvement with the front end, sixth in our first race is good news for us."

Jamie Morley from Waterlooville has moved into a challenging fourth place in the National Superstock Championship after high finishes in the Snetterton double header.

Morley rode the Lloyds Autobody Suzuki into second place behind championship leader Matt Llewellyn in race one, then took fourth place second time out when teammate Steve Brogan was first across the line.