RYE HOUSE 47 BOURNEMOUTH 49THE Cobras narrowly lost to Bournemouth Buccaneers at Rye House on Saturday night.A catalogue of five early falls was ultimately to prove decisive, as the Kart Raceway Cobras came close to completing a remarkable 15-point comeback against unbeaten Bournemouth.

RYE HOUSE 47 BOURNEMOUTH 49

THE Cobras narrowly lost to Bournemouth Buccaneers at Rye House on Saturday night.

A catalogue of five early falls was ultimately to prove decisive, as the Kart Raceway Cobras came close to completing a remarkable 15-point comeback against unbeaten Bournemouth.

Disaster number one came as early as the third lap of heat one as mainstay Danny Halsey hit the safety fence on the third bend just after being passed by Jay Herne and ex-Rye House rider Andrew Aldridge.

This was followed in the very next race when Ben Morley took out the same stretch of fence when battling Aaron Baseby for the lead.

Disaster struck again a heat later with Rob Smith taking a tumble when holding third place behind Jamie Courtney and Mark Baseby.

The Hoddesdon team's fourth piece of bad luck came when race leader Lee Strudwick spun and fell on the last lap of heat four.

With the Cobras trailing 21-9, Danny Halsey was nominated as a tactical rider for double points in heat six.

Although he took the main six points, expectations of an 8-1 evaporated when partner Mike Bovis hit the deck a lap from the finish.

The Buccaneers extended their advantage to 33-18 before the tactically nominated Jamie Courtney and Rob Smith finally collected an overdue 8-1 in heat nine.

And Smith and Dan Blake gave the Cobras further hope when maxing out in the penultimate race to bring the score back to 47-43.

That left Rye needing a 5-1 in the final race to force a last-gasp draw,

But although Halsey took the chequered flag, the previously unbeaten Jay Herne was able to keep Courtney at bay in the run-in to the line to ensure the narrowest of victories for the Dorset side.