Weymouth skipper Lee Smart stormed out of Wimborne Road as his side’s Knockout Cup hopes were brought crashing down in another horror show against the Bournemouth Buccaneers last night. The Wildcats, who host Mildenhall this evening (7.15pm), suffered a catalogue of bad luck as they were defeated 102-86 on aggregate, despite holding a 16-point lead from the first leg. But the moment their cup hopes were firmly brought to an end came in race 11, when tactical rider Smart was controversially excluded by referee Christina Turnbull.

The Weymouth Doonan Wildcats secured a sixteen point lead in the first leg of the National League Knock-Out Cup second round against local rivals the Bournemouth Buccaneers setting up a thrilling second leg. As expected, former Wildcat Jay Herne was on top form but was unable to remain unbeaten after a terrific ride from Wildcats Lee Smart put paid to the flying Aussies chances of a maximum. The victory was a huge improvement from the 20 point defeat that the Wildcats suffered at Wimborne Road and the Wildcats will be looking to put on a much improved performance in the second leg this Thursday (2nd July).

Terry Day is under no illusions about the enormity of tonight’s task when the Wildcats will attempt to stop the Bournemouth Buccaneers from clawing back a 16-point first-leg deficit in the Knockout Cup. Weymouth hammered the Buccaneers 56-40 at the Wessex Bus Raceway on June 19 but they face a very different proposition in Poole this evening where they were on the wrong end of a 56-36 drubbing earlier in the season.