HORSPATH Hammers gave table-toppers Poole Comets a real scare, but went down to a narrow home defeat in their British South & South West League clash.

The leaders needed their full-strength side to be in top form to secure a 92-87 win over Hammers, who led in the early stages.

The hosts set their stall out from the start with top Polish racers Matty Ganczarek and Greg Gluchowski being kept at bay by Will Jeffery and Shaun Rudman in the opening race.

Horspath’s Lukas Nowacki and Dave Liebermann showed their gating class to win the next two races and with Zac Payne shepherding home Liebermann, the hosts established an early lead.

Heat seven proved a cracker of a race with youngsters Owen Johnson and Jeffery up against British champion Ben Mould and ex-England junior Will Bristowe.

With Johnson off gate one, Jeffery was given the task of keeping Mould at the back to keep the scores even.

Bristowe gated across Johnson and led into the first corner, as four laps of cagey racing ensued.

Mould threw everything at the Hammers youngsters, but a final-straight wheelie ensured he had been outfoxed by the home pair and it brought the biggest cheer of the day.

Horspath were in good shape, but the meeting turned when Nowacki and Rudman were on for a 7-3, only for Rudman to lose his footing and fall in a heap, resulting in a drawn heat.

With three races to go there was only one point in it.

Ganczarek raced to his fourth win of the day and Fraser Garnett made sure Poole took the lead by finishing third.

Dean Hook then charged away to lead the visitors to a five-point haul in heat 17 and ensure they just needed to complete the final race to pick up victory.

And Mould raced home to seal Horspath’s fate.

Horspath Hammers: Z Payne 16+3, L Nowacki 16, S Rudman 12+2, W Jeffrey 12+1, D Liebermann 12, A Johnson 9, J Ellis 6+1, O Johnson 4.