A LAST-heat success by Craig Watson and Neil Collins ensured that Newport Everest Group Wasps got their delayed home start to the speedway season off to a perfect start with a Premier Trophy win over the Isle of Wight.

The Wasps pair went in to the last race with three points separating the two teams and Australian ace Watson made certain there were no slips, winning the heat with the evergreen Collins, now riding at number one, in third place.

But it was a hard-earned win - just as promoter Tim Stone predicted.

He said: "It did not surprise me that they ran us close. I have said before, and at the risk of repeating myself, meetings with them are close, both home and away, and this was no different.

"There was good racing throughout and it was a good performance."

It was a tough Premier debut for Sam Hurst, sharing the number seven berth with Mavericks teammate Billy Legg.

Hurst failed to make his mark in heat two - the reserve race - but next time out was holding second place behind Watson and ahead of the Islanders pairing of Robert Kasprzak and Nick Simmons.

However, Legg fell on the pits bend of the second lap and was excluded from the rerun. Good work by the visitors' pair, both laying down their machines, made certain Hurst escaped unhurt but Kasprzak sprained his right hand and took no further part in the meeting.

Stone said: "In that situation you have to feel for Sam, falling when he was in such a good position."

Team manager Neil Street added: "It is not only a step up in class but it is also a mental leap. But the most important thing for us was winning the meeting."

Heat 11, an all-Aussie race, was quite eventful - and expensive for Joel Parsons who fell and was excluded.

Jason Doyle was excluded in the rerun and the race was finally concluded with Watson beating Chris Holder, but even then the Islanders rider suffered engine trouble.

Watson was the Wasps top scorer but even he suffered a fall when second to Krister Marsh in heat seven.

But Collin collected a paid dozen and in heat six went from last spot to first in just over a lap and the pairing of Carl Wilkinson and Tony Atkin was, as Stone pointed out, "very productive", riding extremely well together.

Newport Everest Group Wasps: Neil Collins 11+1 (5), Chris Schramm 3+1 (4), Carl WIlkinson 8+1 (4), Tony Atkin 8+1 (4), Craig Watson 12 (5), Joel Parsons 5+1 (5), Sam Hurst 0 (3). Islanders: Chris Holder 3+1 (4), Jason Doyle 9 (5), Krister Marsh 6+1 (4), Krzysztof Stojanowski 8+1 (5), Robert Kasprzak 0 (0), Nick SImmons 9+1 (7), Chris Johnson 7+1 (5).