PLYMOUTH Devils face the prospect of having to pull back a 16-point deficit in Saturday’s home leg of the Knock-Out Cup quarter-final following a 53-37 away defeat at Somerset Rebels on Friday evening.

The Devils kept things reasonably tight over the first 10 heats, with only six points separating the sides.

But Somerset pulled a further 10 points clear over the final five races to leave the Devils with a tough task in the deciding leg.

Skipper Kyle Newman and Todd Kurtz, two former Somerset riders, led the way for Plymouth with 21 points between them but lacked support from the remainder of the side.

Somerset: Nick Morris 9+2 (4 rides), Leigh Lanham 8 (5), rider replacement Charles Wright, Richie Worrall 7+1 (6), Josh Grajczonek 13 (5). Reserves: Paul Starke 14+3 (7), Ollie Greenwood 2+1 (3).

Plymouth: Ryan Fisher 6 (4), Morten Risager 3+1 (4), Jack Holder 4+2 (4), Todd Kurtz 10+1 (5), Kyle Newman 11 (5). Reserves: Roland Benko 0 (3), Sam Simota 3 (5).