Horspath Hammers remain top of the British Premier League after drawing 85-85 in a pulsating match at home second-placed Sheffield Stars.

In a match of contrasting halves, Hammers surged into an eight-point lead at halfway.

Hammers went ten clear, but then a remarkable fightback from the Yorkshire outfit saw them overturn this.

They took advantage of a Mike Morgans’s tape exclusion to go three ahead up in heat 16.

Horspath reduced this by a point in the penultimate race before Steve Harris and Mark Boaler secured the draw in a last-heat decider.

Horspath hold a one-point lead with two matches left at home to Birmingham and away to Great Blakenham.

Pafal Dulinski, who missed the Sheffield match due to the Polish Championships – he came third at Leszno – hopes to be back for them.

Horspath scorers: Morgans 10+1, D Carmichael 12+2, Harris 17, M Carmichael 13, D Harper 5+1, Boaler 17, Szymczak 5, Hutt 6.

Horspath’s Combination team gained their first win of the season when they beat Sheffield 73-61 with fine performances from Jack Smith, Lee Clarke and Zac Payne.

Horspath scorers: W Clarke 4+1, Payne 12, Coulter 10, Edge 8+2, L Clarke 11+2, Smith 12+2, Horsley 6+1, Carter 5+1.