Reading through to next round.

Reading Euphony Racers defeated Glasgow Tigers 52-43 in the KO Cup on Monday night at Smallmead Stadium, to earn a 95-90 aggregate win and now progress through to the second round of the competition to meet either Hull or Berwick.

Reading were only four points down from the first leg on Sunday night at Glasgow, and after that were favourites for an aggregate win, but the Tigers put up a fight and gave the Racers a few frights along the way.

Reading looked set for a maximum 5-1 in the opening heat from Danny Bird and Chris Schramm, but when Schramm fell it let Tigers pair George Stancl and Corey Blackman through for a share of the points.

Euphony Racers pair Joel Parsons and Chris Mills did get a 5-1 in heat two over Barry Campbell and Blackman, but Tigers hit back in the next heat with a 4-2 when James Grieves and Paul Bentley defeated Racers skipper Phil
Morris and Andrew Appleton who retired on the first lap.

Heat four was shared with Shane Parker getting the better of Matej Zagar and Parsons, but Reading opened up a six-point lead (18-12), as a result of a 5-1 from Appleton and Morris over Tigers number one Stancl in heat five.

Three shared heats followed, before another Morris and Appleton maximum, this time over the previously unbeaten Parker, gave Reading a ten-point advantage (32-22) after heat nine.

At this point Glasgow elected for Paul Bentley to go out as a tactical ride and double points in heat ten. But in a disasterous heat for the Tigers saw Racers pull-off a vital 4-2 with Bird and Schramm defeating Grieves with
double-point man Bentley trailing at the back for zero points.

The Scottish club tried the move again in heat eleven with a bit more success from their Czech Republic rider Stancl. Zagar won the heat, but with Stancl second and Racers reserve Mills third it was a drawn 4-4 heat, but
the Euphony Racers still led 40-28 and by 8 points on aggregate.

In a last throw of the dice Tigers Team Manager Ian Steel brought in Parker as a tactical substitute off a 15-metre handicap and double points in heat twelve - but how the move paid off.

Bentley made a good start but despite his 15-metre handicap Parker had fought his way past Parsons by the end of the second lap, and now had his sights set on Appleton. Appleton looked as if he was going to hold on for
the crucial second place, but made a mistake at the start of the third lap which let Parker close the gap and eventually get though on the final lap to join his team-mate Bentley for a maximum heat win. With Parker's points
counting double Bentley let his Aussie team-mate past for the win giving the Tigers a 8-1 heat advantage, which hauled the scores back to 41-36 with just three heats remaining.

With just one point separating the teams on aggregate but still in Reading's favour, it was obvious that the Racers had to step up a gear at this point if they were to finish overall winners. Bird led the way by winning heat
thirteen ahead of Parker, and with Zagar filling in for a vital third place ahead of Stancl, who fell on the third lap, it gave the Euphony Racers a 4-2 and a 45-38 lead.

Reading clinched the tie with a 4-2 in heat fourteen. Grieves made the start for Glasgow, but a ferocious couple of bends saw Morris come through to take the lead by the end of the opening lap and with Mills slotting in for third
place ahead of Blackman, it was enough for the Euphony Racers to take the tie with them leading 49-40 going into the final heat.

Zagar and Morris looked set to finish the match in style with a 5-1 in the final race, but after Morris fell after a controversial clash with Parker they had to settle for a 3-3 and a final score of 52-43.

This was a big win for Reading, which has seen them knock out one of the Premier League's top rated teams in the first round of the competition. Racers Team Manager said, "This was a great win for us, and one we were determined to win.

"We have knocked out a top team tonight, and now we shouldn't fear anyone else left in the competition over two legs."