NEWPORT pushed Read-ing all the way before going down by eight points in last night's Premier League match at Smallmead.

Wasps, who had to use rider replacement at No. 1 in place of the unavailable Michael Coles, were two points ahead after a 5-1 in heat 12 from Mads Korneliussen and Tony Atkin.

But to promoter Tim Stone's disappointment, they managed to add only four more points to their tally in the final three heats of an entertaining meeting.

Hopes of following up Sunday's one-point win over Edinburgh looked promising when Newport made a flying start at Smallmead.

Guest Chris Neath and Kristian Lund scorched to an impressive 5-1 over Andrew Appleton and ex-Wasp Steve Masters.

And, after a shared heat won by Atkin from the back, Korneliussen and Neil Collins notched up another maximum over Richard Wolff and Zdenek Simota.

However, they were unable to increase their eight-point advantage with Reading closing the gap with 4-2s in heats four, six and eight.

Wasps fell behind for the first time of the night in heat nine when Neath and Atkin, who was forced to retire, conceded a 5-1 to Simota and Wolff.

Korneliussen and Collins, who lost second place to Andrew Appleton, hit back with a 4-2 in heat 10 to make the score 30-30.

Collins managed to split the flying Matej Zagar and Matt Tresarrieu in heat 11 but the four points saw Reading move back in front.

The lead changed hands again in heat 12 when Korneliussen and skipper Atkin, riding well together, pushed French youngster Tresarrieu and Simota to the back.

Newport, however, were again unable to hang on their slender advantage with Reading's big two of Zagar and Appleton racing away to a comfortable 5-1 over Neath and Karlis Ezergallis, who for the second day running failed to contribute a single point.

Atkin replaced the Aussie in the penultimate race but to no avail as he and Collins were on the wrong-end of a 4-2 scoreline against Wolff and Tresarrieu.

This left Wasps four points down and needing a big 5-1 from Neath and Korneliussen in the final race to square the match.

But that was an impossible task for the Wasps pair and they were soundly beaten by Zagar, who rides in the Grand Prix on home Slovenian shale next Saturday, and Appleton. This 5-1 earned Reading their first Premier League win of the season following four successive defeats.

Neath's point took his tally for the night to 10 but the most productive Newport rider was Korneliussen with 12 paid 13 from six starts.

Collins rode well for his eight paid 10, which included three second-places, but the rest of the team lacked consistency.

Reading: Appleton 10+2 (5rides), Masters 2 (4), Simota 6 (4), Wolff 6+1 (4), Zagar 15 (5), Johnson 1+1 (2), Tresarrieu 9 (6). Total: 49. Newport: rider replacement for Coles, Lund 4+1 (4), Korneliussen 12+1 (6), Collins 8+2 (5), Neath 10 (6), Atkin 7+1 (6), Ezergallis 0 (3). Total: 41.