NEWPORT Wasps put up a spirited performance before going down by two points in their Premier Trophy match at Somerset last night.

There was a setback for the Wasps however with recent signing Pavel Ondrasik (pictured) being taken to hospital with a shoulder injury after a spill in heat 10.

Home rider Matt Read went down after tangling with a fence on the back straight of the first lap and Ondrasik followed with a spectacular crash while approaching the third bend.

Read escaped with a rib injury but Ondrasik ripped a nail from his finger and was taken to hospital for further examination of his damaged shoulder.

That apart it proved an encouraging evening for the Wasps. It was not until heat 8 that the home side took the lead for the first time.

Wasps skipper Craig Watson was in fine form, dropping only one point from five rides.

He received excellent support from Danish youngster Mads Korneliussen. It was those two who raised hopes of a dramatic away win for Newport when they combined to take maximum points from John Jorgensen and skipper Paul Fry in heat 13.

That left the Wasps trailing by a mere two points going into the final two races.

The result was wrapped up in heat 14 however with in form Glenn Cunningham completing a 12 point maximum ahead of impressive reserve Jamie Smith.

Their 5-1 over Tony Atkin and Karl Mason saw the Rebels go into the final race with a six point advantage.

Newport finished on a high, however, with Watson and Korneliussen gaining a repeat 5-1 against Jorgensen and Fry in the final heat.

The scoreline was a repeat of Somerset's victory at Newport recently and saw the Rebels collect the aggregate bonus with a total of 92 -88.

The defeat leaves Newport at the bottom of the Southern Division of the Premier Trophy.

Somerset: John Jorgensen 5 (5 rides); Matt Read 5+1 (4); Neil Collins 4 (4); Glenn Cunningham 12 (4); Paul Fry 7 (5); Lee Smart 2+1 (3); Jamie Smith 11+3 (5). Newport: Mads Korneliussen 11+3 (5); Carl Wilkinson 6+1 (4); Pavel Ondrasik 3+1 (2); Tony Atkin 6+1 (4); Craig Watson 14 (5); Luke Priest 3+1 (5); Karl Mason 1 (5).