GARRY May believes Buccaneers stars Jay Herne and Jerran Hart missed out on National League Riders’ Championship glory because they were outgated in crucial late races.

Gating was always going to be the key during Saturday’s meeting at Rye House’s tight, tricky little track, along with the draw for gate positions which saw Herne have two off the outside.

May watched Herne finish third, beating Hart in a run-off, with Buxton’s Craig Cook dramatically snatching victory in a run-off for first after Plymouth’s Kyle Hughes suffered mechanical problems while leading on the last bend.

Bournemouth Castle Cover’s team manager said: “It all came down to gating really and Cookie outgated Jerran in a crunch heat 18 and Kyle outgated Jay in a crunch heat 20.

“If it had been the other way round, we would have had an all-Bournemouth run-off for the final.

“Jay and Jerran did their best and although it would have been nice to have both of them on the podium, it wasn’t to be.

“Jerran’s still smiling though after winning the British Under-18 Championship at Scunthorpe 24 hours earlier when Kyle Newman was third.

“The rider you had to feel sorry for at Rye House though was Kyle Hughes.

“He did all the hard work and then snapped a primary chain on the last bend.

“Kyle had beaten Cookie then his chain came off. But that’s speedway.

“You have to complete the four laps.”

National League Riders’ Championship, Rye House: Craig Cook (3-3-2-3-3) 14, Kyle Hughes (2-3-3-3-3) 14 (after run-off), Jay Herne (3-3-3-2-2) 13, Jerran Hart (3-2-3-3-2) 13 (after run-off), Tony Atkin (3-1-1-0-3) 8, Simon Lambert (2-1-3-0-2) 8, Barrie Evans (1-2-2-3-ret) 8, Darren Mallett (1-3-1-2-0) 7, Ben Hopwood (1-1-0-1-3) 6, Daniel Halsey (fell-0-2-2-1) 5, Nick Simmons (fell exc-2-2-0-1) 5, Jade Mudgway (0-1-1-1-1) 4, Benji Compton (2-fell exc-0-1-fell) 3, Mark Simmonds (fell exc-2-1-ns-ns) 3, Adam Allott (0-0-exc tapes-1-1) 2, James Cockle (fell exc-fell exc-ns-ns-ns) 0. Reserves: Ben Morley (0-2-ret) 2, Daniel Blake (0-2) 2.