The South and South Wales region took a fine win at Horspath in the third round of the Women’s Battle of Britain in a cycle speedway match that could have gone one of four ways throughout.

The Midlands put in a solid performance to take the second spot with 60 points - a slender three points adrift of the winners. The East and South East took third with 59 points, and the North and Scotland finished fourth with 56.

The South and South Wales didn’t have the best of starts, with Maddie Saunders puncturing on the first lap of the opening heat and having to watch the Midlands pair of Megan Burt and Lizzie Rigley take seven points.

Charlotte Geech and Daisy Sherwood (S&SW) rallied in the third heat to take first and second from The Midlands’ Georgia Burt and Yoanna Gilpin.

Heat four saw a run of drawn heats to the 12th and at the interval, there were three teams on 30 points and the South and South Wales trailing by a point.

In heat 14, Lily Parr (East and South East) moved at the tapes and was docked a point but still took the win to keep the scores within one point across the four teams.

A superb 1-2 in the next heat by Maddie Saunders and Daisy Sherwood changed the look of the match as the South and South East proved too strong for the Midlands pair of Georgia Burt and Yoanna Gilpin, taking seven points.

Coming out in heat 16, Lauren Hookway powered off the grid to take the lead. Emily Burgess (North and Scotland) could not find a way around on the tight track and had to be content with second, while Rachael Lammin used her home track knowledge to hold third and a valuable two points to see the South and South Wales team riding home a 6-4.

It would be a run of drawn heats until the final four races. Heat 21 saw Megan Burt and Lizzie Rigby take a valuable 7 points for The Midlands to keep them in with a shout of the match win but the South & South Wales proved to be too dominant on the day and with a final heat 1-2 from Lauren Hookway and Maddie Saunders the region took  a well deserved match win on a tricky Horspath track and the series lead going into the final round at Ipswich in September

1. South & South Wales - 63 points
2. The Midlands - 60 points
3. South & South East - 59 points
4. North & Scotland - 56 points

In the afternoon’s Individual Grand Prix, Kesgrave’s Lily Parr took the win in the Experts A final.

Coming off grid one, Parr hit the first corner at the head of the race, leaving Emily Burgess, Lizzie Rigley and Laura Watson in her wake. Holding her line, Parr wasn’t in any danger of losing the lead and lead the field home to take her second win from three of the series going into the final round at Ipswich in September.

Lauren Hookway (Exeter) made light work to take the win in the B final from Horspath’s Rachael Lammin. Exeter’s Charlotte Geech rode well to take third from grid four but ran out of track to make any headway on Lammin.

A straightforward C final saw Poole’s Lexie Curtis take the win from Georgia Burt (Wednesfield) and Ella Case (Kesgrave). Maddie Saunders withdrew after an earlier crash in the qualifying heats.

A Final

1. Lily Parr - Kesgrave
2. Emily Burgess - Sheffield
3. Lizzie Rigley - Leicester
4. Laura Watson - Sheffield

B Final

1. Lauren Hookway - Exeter
2. Rachael Lammin - Horspath
3. Charlotte Geech - Exeter
4. Daisy Sherwood - Poole

C Final

1. Lexis Curtis - Poole
2. Georgia Burt - Wednesfield
3. Ella Case - Kesgrave
4. Maddie Saunders – Poole (retired)

It was Demi-Blu Harris (Kesgrave) who dominated the intermediate match, taking four wins from four in qualifying and then the win in the A final to keep her 100% win tally in the series. Sheffield’s Lacey Ackroyd looked to come into her own in the individual match and took a fine second place holding off Coventry’s Yoanna Gilpin, the pair both finishing qualifying on 14 points. Emma Johnson (Horspath) took fourth.

A Final

1. Demi-Blu Harris - Kesgrave
2. Lacey Ackroyd - Sheffield
3. Yoanna Gilpin - Coventry
4. Emma Johnson - Horspath

B Final

1. Lola Martin - Hethersett
2. Maisie Baker - Ipswich