Track looked fine. Joel Parsons was the early leader of heat 1 but Daniel Nermark obviously had power to play with and he waited until the third turn on the third lap before cruising into the lead. Ricky was a distant third with John Branney half a lap behind. Joe Haines trapped ahead in heat 2 and there was nothing Paul could do about it. Sam Martin kept on Paul's pace and never looked like being caught by the pedestrian John Branney. André blasted high and wide around the first turns and into the lead as he passed Kauko Nieminen on the third turn in heat 3. Lee Smethills was gifted a point when Charles Wright fell at the start of the second lap and although Charles quickly remounted I guess he'd damaged the bike and he soon retired. Carl Stonehewer took Ben Wilson out into no-mans-land on the first turn of heat 5 and then swept pass Paul to lead down the back straight. Ben recovered and soon caught John Branney but then seemed content just to follow him. Things got worse when Paul coasted into retirement on the last lap! André seemed to have contained Daniel at the start of heat 5 but Joe blasted around the outside of the pair of them and would have taken the lead but for bouncing off the safety fence exiting turn two. Five heat gone and the Comets hold a slender lead with three heat winners to the Tigers two.

Joel got a real flyer in heat 6 but Chris Durno called them all back. Stoney got an equally good flyer in the restart which was allowed and Joe Haines joined him at the front with another wide blast around turn two. Joe was just a little too 'gung-ho' on the pits turn allowing Ricky to pick up a place but Joel was well off the pace. Ben Wilson trapped ahead to win heat 7 but Sam was a very poor last. A good result from heat 8 would have levelled the scores but the Comets used Joe as rider replacement and he once more blasted into the lead exiting turn 2 and Paul just couldn't get on terms. John ran out of time and earned himself a 15 metre handicap for heat 9. Stoney flew into the lead and even André couldn't mount a challenge. Kauko won heat 10 leaving Ricky and Joel with a consolation shared heat but the Tigers are now four points behind and we can't see how we are going to get back into the match. Comets have provided seven heat winners to the Tigers three.

Daniel takes the flag in heat 11 with Ben just holding onto second place ahead of Joe and reserve replacement Paul as the Comets extend their lead. André wins heat 12 but Kauko brushes past team mate Joe as the Comets share the heat. Ricky makes a great start to lead heat 13 and Ben passes him into the lead as they exit the second turn as all the Tigers fans spirits raise, only for them to come crashing back down as both Dan and Stoney flash past him on the third turn. Joe replaces John in heat 14, as does Paul for Sam. Joe and Charles are the early leaders as the Tigers pair seem to get in each others way for the first two laps. Lee has a look at getting past Charles on the third lap but fails while Paul winds it up for a wide blast on the last lap. As Paul goes thundering around the boards Joe Haines bike expires, Charles and Lee pick up places while Paul's last to first attempt is too late as he only passes Charles a yard or two after the chequered flag. The Tigers only heat winners are Eric's choice for heat 15 while Ian Thomas nominates Dan and Stoney and its all over by the first corner.

The Tigers have got used to a track lately where they could pass on the inside but that wasn't an option today. They were comprehensively outgated and outridden by a better side. Perhaps they were over confident after last weeks demolition of Glasgow. Can't see us doing much at Derwent Park but let's hope they fight back with a good results at Glasgow and Birmingham before the return match against the Brummies in two weeks time.

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