Horspath Hammers got their British Premier League season off to a flier with a 97-81 win at Poole.

The Comets may not have been at full strength, but were tracking four riders that raced a month in Australia and led by British Champion Gavin Wheeler.

Horspath had worked hard to get clearance from the Polish Federation for Marcin Skowronek to return to the Hammers colours with the Polish international flying in to resume his three year stint at the Village.

It proved a masterstroke as was the inclusion on a secondary licence of Wales' World Cup rider Mike Burgess from Filton.

Hammers took the lead , winning the opening heat 5-4 then extended it with a 6-4 from Mark Boaler and Mike Morgans.

A 7-3 in heat 7 from Dave Carmichael and Steve Harris extended the lead to seven points. They kept that to the interval score 48-41.

Morgans and Mark Carmichael grabbed a 6-4 in heat ten before Morgans pulled off a brilliant pass on Arron Lowey to join Boaler on a 7-3 in heat 12.

This was extended further with a great last to second from Mark Carmichael to join Steve Harris in another 7-3 in heat 14.

Poole hit back with a 7-3 in the next, but a 6-4 from Boaler and Dave Carmichael in the penultimate heat with two drawn heat either side saw out the 16-point away win.

Hammers scorers: M Boaler 18+1, M Skowronek 16+1, S Harris 16+1, M Morgans 16+1, M Szymczak 10+3, Dave Carmichael 9, M Carmichael 6+1, M Burgess 6.

l Hammers Combination went down 71-59 against their Poole counterparts.

Wayne Hutt was unbeaten in his three rides, but lacked support.

Lee Clarke gained 11 points from three rides.

Hammers scorers: M Coulter 5+1, W Hutt 12, Joe Wyatt 9, R Edge 4+1, M Glover 5+1, W Clarke 7, J Richardson 6+1, L Clarke 11.

Meanwhile, Hammers Combination travel to Newport in the South West Conference today as their Seniors get a week off.

Hammers (v Newport, away): M Carmichael, J Wyatt, R Edge, W Clark, L Clark, M Coulter, plus two.