Newport promoter Tim Stone is hoping that his injury-stricken team can battle their way through the current bad patch, hopefully turning the corner in the rearranged Premier Trophy meeting at King's Lynn tonight.

Wasps lost by a 13-point margin last time out at Reading. "But it was not as clear cut as that," declared Stone.

He added: "We gave quite a spirited performance and for seven heats we had them on the run and it didn't help when skipper Craig Watson had engine trouble and only picked up six points."

Watson rides at Saddlebow Road tonight but he is out of the weekend meetings - at home to Hull in the Premier League on Sunday and at Exeter on Monday morning in the return leg of the Knock-out Cup.

Australian Watson is riding in a long-track meeting in the south of France and competed last weekend in the GP qualifier in the Czech Republic at Slany, but after scoring 13 points in qualifying for the semi-finals, dropping only two points, he finished last, ending his interest in the tournament.

Watson said: "I was second top points scorer in the heats but now I'm out and I think the format is a bit harsh. I didn't get a choice of gates in the semi and I drew the worst gate position.

The qualifier was won by a rider with eight points (Tony Saab) and after working so hard during the day, all the work and costs, it was all for nothing.

"I am now a reserve, so I could be lucky at someone's else's expense. But it was very disappointing."

l Wasps have failed to qualify for the Premier League pairs meeting at Reading on June 20. Former Newport riders Paul Fry and Glenn Cunningham will be representing Somerset while Chris Neath will form a partnership with Scott Robson for Rye House.

l Cwmbran's Tom Brown has been released by Berwick but father Terry said: " He was a bit peeved by the decision but he's a determined lad and will be all out to prove them wrong."

l Carmarthen's Shane Colvin, living in Cwmfelinfach, was out of luck in the final of the Battle of Britain grasstrack meeting at Collier Street, run by the Tonbridge and Malling Motorcycle Club. He was in third position when his gearbox packed in.