Horspath Hammers gave debuts to four riders as they edged to a thrilling 89-87 victory away to Sheffield Stars in their Elite League opener.

Marcin Paradinski, Bartosz Grab-owski, Marcin Kolata and Daniel Harper helped the Oxfordshire side to victory alongside former world champion Lukas Nowacki, Mark Boaler, Zac Payne and Lewis Osborne.

Stars claimed a 6-3 win in heat one after Nowacki was excluded at the tapes, Andy Angell winning from Kolata in the restart.

But Horspath hit back with two heat advantages, firstly from Grabowski-and Osborne with a 6-4 over Radek Handke and Pawel Idzioreck.

Hammers’ Boaler-Paradinski pairing then achieved a 7-3 victory over Damien Zareba and Kyle Holland.

The close racing continued with Horspath 45-43 ahead at the interval. Hammers received another exclusion on the resumption as Osborne forced Zareba off the track, with Myke Grimes winning in the re-run while Zareba kept Payne at bay to put Stars three points ahead. Sheffield still held a two-point lead going into the final heat.

Straight off the tapes, Boaler pinned Idzioreck as Nowacki flew round the outside.

Zareba gave chase, but to no avail, and Horspath had the 7-3 win.

Sheffield: A Angell 16, R Handke 15+1, D Zareba 13+1, P Idzioreck 12, G Parr 10+1, M Grimes 10+1, J Read 10, K Holland 1, Niall Morton DNR.

Horspath: M Paradinski 16+1, B Grabowski 14+2, L Nowacki 14+1, M Kolata 14+1, M Boaler 11+1, L Osborne 11+1, Z Payne 8, D Harper 1, J Richardson DNR, G Horsley DNR.

l SHEFFIELD gained revenge in the Division 2 match, easing to a 99-68 victory over Horspath.

Zac Payne top-scored for Hammers with 16 points.

Sheffield gained 14 penalty points and Horspath were deducted five, which stretched the victory margin.

Sheffield: V Brown 14, R Hudson 13+1, K Holland 12+3, Z Smurthwaite 10+1, N Morton 9+3, M Knowles 8+1, M Parrott 5.

Horspath: Z Payne 16, J Richardson 12, G Horsley 11+1, D Harper 8, Lee White 7+1, L Horsley 4.