PLYMOUTH Devils failed to gain any reward from their League Cup visit to Somerset with the match being abandoned because of rain after 11 heats with Somerset leading 38-28 on Friday evening.

As the minimum requirement of 10 heats had been completed, the result will stand with Somerset taking three points to move within three of group leaders Rye House.

The Rebels already have a superior race points difference to Rye House so it means a win by even a single point in the return at Plymouth’s St Boniface Arena on Saturday evening will be enough to see them through to the semi-finals.

The Devils kept the scores close throughout the evening at Somerset, but Ben Barker and Kyle Newman were on the wrong end of a 5-1 against Paul Starke and Bradley Wilson-Dean in what proved to be the final race.

Until then Newman had scored three second places on his return from injury to finish as the second highest Devils scorer behind Jack Holder, who had two wins in his eight-point return.

Holder misses Saturday’s return clash because he will be riding in the World under-21 qualifier at Belle Vue and the Devils will operate rider replacement to cover his absence.

Somerset: Josh Grajczonek 11 (4 rides), Jake Allen 5+1 (4), Charles Wright 6 (4), Paul Starke 7 (4), rider replacement for Rohan Tungate. Reserves: Bradley Wilson-Dean 5+1 (3), Zach Wajtknecht 4 (3).

Plymouth: Ben Barker 3+2 (3), Kyle Newman 6 (4), Jack Holder 8 (3), Todd Kurtz 2+1 (3), Sam Simota 4 (3). Reserves: Stefan Nielsen 5+1 (4), Ellis Perks 0 (2).