NEWPORT finished a creditable third in yesterday's Premier Fours at Coventry, an unlucky start in the final denying them the chance to give Berwick and Arena-Essex a real run for their money.

The Wasps had come through their semi-final without too much difficulty, seeing off the threat of fancied Sheffield and Glasgow.

Wins from Craig Watson and Scott Smith had put them in the driving seat, and Smith secured their passage into the final with a third place in a brilliant scrap with Glasgow's James Grieves and Sheffield's Lee Complin in heat seven.

Hull joined them in the final from the first semi-final group, while Berwick and Arena-Essex qualified from the second semi.

Newport then ran two lasts and a third in the first three races of the final, Smith going off a 15m handicap for tapes offences in heat one and Lee Dicken excluded for causing a third bend pile-up in heat two.

It left them playing catch-up and though Frank Smart's win in heat four got them going again, Arena were by now clear.

The final ultimately came down to a last-heat shoot-out between Berwick and Arena, Paul Bentley's win and Kevin Tatum's last place seeing the Bandits steal the trophy.

Newport promoter Tim Stone was pleased enough with third place. "It shows we are heading in the right direction," he said. "We're building for the future and we're not at all downhearted about this effort."

First semi-final: Hull (R. Kessler 5, G. Stead 5, P. Thorp 3, J. Smith 2) 15, Newport (S. Scott 4, F. Smart 4, L. Dicken 4, C. Watson 3) 15, Sheffield (S. Wilson 5, L. Complin 2, S. Stead 1, S. Smith 1) 9, Glasgow (G. Stancl 4, J. Grieves 3, K. Olsson 1, M. Powell 1) 9

Second semi-final: Berwick (C. Kristensen 4, A. Rymel 4, P. Bentley 4, M. Makovsky 3) 15, Arena-Essex (C. White 4, S. Tacey 3, L. Lanham 3, K. Tatum 2) 12, Reading (A. Henriksson 6, P. Morris 2, D. Mullett 2, C. Schramm 1) 11, Isle of Wight (H. Bager 4, D. Bird 3, A. Shields 2, M. Read 1, N. Simmonds 0) 10

Final: Berwick (P. Bentley 8, A. Rymel 6, M. Makovsky 5, C. Kristensen 3) 22, Arena-Essex (C. White 8, K. Tatum 6, S. Tacey 4, L. Lanham 3) 21, Newport (F. Smart 5, S. Smith 4, L. Dicken 4, C. Watson 3) 16, Hull (R. Kessler 6, P. Thorp 3, J. Smith 2, L. Smethills 2, G. Stead 0) 13.

Conference League: Rye House 52 Peterborough 38.