IT has to be said that Darlows Wasps’ hugely disappointing start to the Darlows Wasps’ 2010 British Premier League campaign must not be repeated if they are to achieve anything this season.

In all honesty, and I suppose for various different reasons, only skipper and number-one heat leader Leigh Lanham was anywhere near his best on an afternoon when the home side was never in front during the whole 15-heat fixture.

It was level at 6-6 after the opening couple of races were drawn and when Aussies Alex Davies and Craig Watson posted a superb 5-1 maximum over Stuart Swales and Slovenian Maks Gregoric in heat 12, it meant parity again at 36-36 with just three races remaining.

However, by the time the final heat was about to start, Lanham and Watson lined up against former world champion Gary Havelock and Ben Wilson in the knowledge that they required a 5-1 for victory.

When Watson came a cropper on bend one after seemingly being nudged out by Wilson there were roars of disapproval when Scottish match official Ronnie Allen ruled a re-run with all four riders back.

Many believe Wilson was responsible for the stoppage and that he should have been excluded.

It’s not sure if Watson picked up a knock during the fall, but he was certainly off the pace in the re-started heat, and with Lanham looking groggy in an earlier fall, the home pair were forced to give way to the visitors, who completed an easy maximum for a well-deserved meeting success.

Newport Darlows Wasps 42 (number of rides in brackets: 1 – Leigh Lanham (capt) 11(5); 2 – Anders Mellgren 5+1(5); 3 – Craig Watson 7+2(5); 4 – Kyle Legault 3+1(4); 5 – Kim Nilsson 7(4); 6 – Todd Kurtz 6+1(5); 7 – Alex Davies 3(4).

Redcar Bears 48: 1 – Gary Havelock (capt) 13+1(5); 2 – rider replacement for Tomas Suchanek; 3 – Maks Gregoric 5+1(5); 4 – Ben Wilson 12(5); 5 – Emiliano Sanchez 9(4); 6 – Stuart Swales 4+2(5); 7 – Paul Cooper (guest for Jan Graversen) 5(7).

* The Darlows Wasps continue their British Premier League programme on Sunday, when they entertain Newcastle Diamonds at Queensway Meadows Stadium, tapes up at 2.30pm.

On Saturday, Newport Hornets host Plymouth Devils in a Knockout Cup, first-round second-leg clash at the same venue with the same tapes-up time.