Birmingham’s winning run finally came to an end following a narrow 49-43 defeat at Redcar.

Prior to this Premier League clash they had won four meetings in succession, but despite the defeat the Brummies still move up into second place in the table.

By keeping Redcar’s winning margin to six-points, Graham Drury’s men gained one league point and ensured their trip to the South Tees Motorsport Park wasn’t a fruitless one.

The Bears have proved to be tough nut to crack on their own track this season, but they had to work hard against a battling Birmingham team and only led 26-22 at the mid-way point.

A couple of 4-2s were all that separated the two teams early on as Jason Lyons with two, Tomas Piszcz, Ludvig Lindgren and Manuel Hauzinger all took the chequered flag for the Brummies in the opening eight races

James Cockle then took a tumble in a first bend tussle with Ben Wilson in heat 9, then in the re-run the Redcar duo of Wilson and Carl Stonehewer increased their advantage with a 4-2 over Piszcz.

A Bears 5-1 and a ten-point lead quickly followed in heat 10, but the Brummies pulled a couple of points back with a 5-3 when double-pointer Lyons and Hauzinger finished behind race winner Ty Proctor in heat 11.

The home side immediately restored their ten-point advantage with a 4-2 in heat 12, but then Piszcz and Lyons both passed Proctor to register a hard-fought 5-1 success in heat 13.

Unfortunately there was to be no late fight-back as the Bears secured the victory with a 4-2 in heat 14, but the Brummies did gain the consolation league point as a result of a Piszcz and Lyons four-pointer in the final race of the night.

Redcar 49: Ben Wilson 10+1, Ty Proctor 10+1, Gary Havelock 7, Carl Stonehewer 7, Robbie Kessler 6+3, Arlo Bugeja 5+1, Benji Compton 4

Birmingham 43: Jason Lyons 13+1, Tomasz Piszcz 13, Ludvig Lindgren 8, Manuel Hauzinger 4+1, Richard Sweetman 3+1, Robert Ksiezak 2, James Cockle 0