Brummies nudge past Newcastle
Birmingham added three more points to their Premier League total with a 50-39 victory over Newcastle in another eventful Perry Barr encounter.
The BRC Roofing Brummies were the stronger side but also encountered several falls and mechanical problems, with the Diamonds' two Danes Kenni Larsen and Rene Bach keeipng their team in touch.
Birmingham's first set-back came in the opening heat when Manuel Hauzinger fell on the second lap, but the Austrian recovered well.
A 5-1 from Robert Ksiezak and Ludvig Lindgren in Heat 3 put the Brummies in front and, despite Lindgren's fall in Heat 9, the home side appeared to be coasting when Hauzinger joined Jason Lyons for maximum points in Heat 10.
But the efforts of Larsen and Bach kept the Diamonds in touch for a point at least, especially when Lyons came to grief on the last bend of Heat 13.
In Heat 14, Newcastle's Derek Sneddon was disqualified for unfair riding, as he took Richard Sweetman into the home-straight fence at high speed.
Although Sweetman did fall, he did well to take off plenty of speed before losing contact with his machine.
He picked himself up to partner Lindgren to a 5-1 in the re-run and the Brummies were grateful for their 11-point margin in the end, because Tomasz Piszcz ground to a halt in the last race when on course for a 5-1 with Lyons.
Birmingham now travel to Redcar.
