NEWPORT Wasps suffered their first home Premier League setback of the season, a last-heat defeat sealing their fate, giving the Islanders a double - and the bonus point.

Wasps gave a cracking display on the island, beaten 45-44, and looked to turn the tables - but they couldn't hide the fact that Frank Smart was missing.

Wasps' promoter Tim Stone said: "It was a good meeting and we were beaten by a very good side.

"I am happy that we got the meeting finished because the weather was really threatening for a while."

It was a great pity that Stone couldn't celebrate his 50th birthday with a win - he hits the half- century next week - but the track staff and riders gave him a surprise party.

The injured Smart was only a spectator and his absence was a crucial factor in a meeting where eight of the 15 heats were shared and the largest margin between the two teams was six points, which lasted for two heats at 27-21 and 30-24 (heats eight and nine).

Smart's place in the line-up was taken by Exeter's Michael Coles, who sadly had a four-point return from four rides - two seconds and then failing to score in his next two.

Smart, suffering from a lower back injury received in the home win over Glasgow a week last Friday, is expected to make a track return in next Sunday's home double-header meeting with Newcastle Diamonds, followed by the Mavericks facing the Gems.

The Isle of Wight, in contrast, have Hayley Stadium experts - and it was a significant factor in their success, Adam Shields kicking off with three heat wins and Danny Bird had four heat victories from six rides, including the first of the meeting when he rode to the fastest time of 59.72 seconds.

And the pair simply flew to victory in the final heat of a meeting threatened by rain, leaving Wasps' skipper Craig Watson and Niels Kristian Iversen trailing.

Shields recently guested, in place of Watson, for Wasps, and top-scored in a 50-40 league win over Sheffield.

Wasps didn't gain their first heat win until the fifth attempt, when Iversen and Atkin swept to a maximum win - the only one for the Wasps in the entire meeting, while the Islanders picked up a couple, the first when tactical substitute Bird - in for Frenchman Sebastian Tresarrieu - teamed up with consistent-scoring skipper Ray Morton, who picked up a win and three seconds.

Tresarrieu's lone success was a surprise heat win with the meeting on a knife-edge, beating Tony Atkin and Chris Schramm in the last shared heat with the meeting all square and the nominated heat remaining.

Schramm and fellow reserve Joel Parsons made valuable contributions and Carl Wilkinson had a heat win in his six points (paid eight) but overall the Wasps couldn't cover for the loss of Smart, who would almost certainly have hit the double-figure mark.

Wasps: Michael Coles 4 (4), Carl Wilkinson 6+2 (4), Niels Kristian Iversen 11 (5), Tony Atkin 6+3 (4), Craig Watson 10 (5), Chris Schramm 3+2 (4), Joel Parsons 3 (4).

Islanders: Danny Bird 15 (6), Glen Phillips 3 (4), Ray Morton 9+1 (4), Sebastian Tresarrieu 3 (3), Adam Shields 12+2 (5), Chris Mills 0 (3), Gary Phelps 5+1 (5).