CHAMPIONS Reading Racers opened the defence of their Southern Development League title with a narrow 20-16 win against Exeter Falcons.

Reading had the man of the match in 15-year-old Dan Gilkes, but Exeter had a trump card in local amateur rider Max Pankhurst.

While Gilkes made a clean getaway in heat one, both Exeter riders fell in separate incidents, with Stevie Anderson clearing the track, but Pankhurst remounting and passing Rhys Laker for second place.

Reading skipper Stephen Whitehouse failed to get on track in time in heat two and so started from a 15m handicap, but did manage to overhaul Falcon Mick Sutton while fellow Racer Jamie Bursill tried in vain to catch James Chattin at the front.

With a slender two-point lead Gilkes took his second win ahead of Sutton, but Chattin's bike failed while in a comfortable third place, gifting Laker a point and Reading a 4-2 heat win.

Bursill came out of a tight first corner with the lead and Whitehouse behind him, but the determined Pankhurst managed to relieve the Racers skipper of second placeto restrict the damage.

With Reading leading 15-9, Pankhurst and Sutton took Exeter's first heat advantage although the latter almost caught Bursill for second place as the 17-year-old struggled to finish the race.

He was later examined by the medical team complaining of sudden excruciating pain from a shoulder he hurt some weeks ago.

The Falcons needed a maximum heat win to force a draw, but with Gilkes lining up in red the Racers held the upper hand.

Pankhurst replaced Anderson, who was experiencing machine problems before the race.

The final heat was started three times, with Whitehouse firstly receiving a warning for moving at the start, and then an exclusion for touching the tapes.

For the second time he started 15 metres behind the other three and this time couldn't make up the ground. Gilkes however duly completed his nine-point maximum with Chattin second and Pankhurst third.

Manager Gene Carter said: "We were thrilled to get our first match completed and to get a win under their belts.

"There is plenty of confidence that both Whitehouse and Laker will have better nights than this, and the team spirit was notable considering the average age of the four riders was under 17 years."

Reading's next match is against last year's runners-up Kent Kestrels on Saturday, May 12.

Reading 20 - Gilkes 9, Laker 2, Whitehouse 2+1, Bursill 7.

Exeter 16 - Anderson 0, Pankhurst 8+1, Chattin 5 Sutton 3.