READING Racers took a morale-boosting 23-13 win at the Exeter Falcons in the Southern Development League at Somerset’s Oak Tree Arena on Friday night.

The visitor’s team showed their intent in heat one when skipper Luke Harris and debutant Jamie Bursill hit the front ahead of Stevie Anderson and Andrew Palmer.

Anderson overhauled Bursill on the second lap but there was no catching Harris as the visitors took an early 4-2 lead.

Heat two was William O’Keefe’s first for the Racers and he did not disappoint as he led from the tapes. Exeter’s National League rider Jamie Sealey slotted in behind him while fellow Falcon Craig Nethercott relieved Stephen Whitehouse of third place to draw the heat.

O’Keefe showed it was no fluke when he repeated his win in the third race, with Whitehouse this time passing Palmer for the third-place point while Anderson finished in second.

A second shared heat followed with the dominant Harris winning. Bursill missed the gate and could make no impression on the Falcons’ Sealey and Nethercott, leaving the score at 14-10 in Reading’s favour.

Bursill made a lightning start in heat five, only for both Palmer and Whitehouse to come down on the first bend, causing referee Christina Turnbull to halt the race and call all four riders back for a re-run. The Woking-based youngster gated second this time, but it was his teammate Whitehouse in front of him, and he managed to fend off the efforts of Nethercott to secure a match-winning 5-1 for the Racers.

With both Harris and O’Keefe unbeaten, Reading were looking for a big finish to the match, but while the captain streaked away in front, Sealey spoiled the party by relegating O’Keefe into third, with Anderson coming in last.

Reading entertain Weymouth Wildcats at Eastbourne on Saturday in their final home match as they bid to move top of the table, with Dan Gilkes set to debut.