BUCCANEERS young gun Kyle Newman admitted his pride at helping Great Britain topple Australasia 49-40 at under-21 level on his international debut at Poole last night.

Then he modestly said he wasn’t happy with his display despite notching a crucial five paid eight and featuring in the highlight of the meeting when sensationally pipping Arlo Bugeja for second in heat four.

Newman, who saw Bournemouth Castle Cover team-mate Jay Hart storm to 14 points for GB, added: “It’s brilliant we’ve won and sealed a 3-2 overall triumph in the series, but my performance tonight wasn’t so good. I had a bad night.

“I tried a different bike and it was a mistake. The engine suited a slightly smaller track, but we’ve learnt from it.

“I’m happy we won overall but I was a bit gutted not to have had any more meetings in the series.

“I thought I might have got a run out for GB at Weymouth and Isle Wight.

“However, I was proud to finally put on a GB race jacket in front of my hometown crowd tonight.

“I did alright I suppose. I scored fairly well, but I felt I could have scored a lot better.

“At the end of the day, we won the meeting, and that’s what we’re here to do.

“I’m just looking forward to getting on with the play-offs for Bournemouth now, try to find the right set-up because we had a setback tonight, although it’s always a learning curve.”

Hart, GB’s captain, might have stolen the rider-of-the-night accolade from Australasia big guns Grant Tregoning (14) and Justin Sedgmen (13+1), who did their best to keep their six-man team in with a chance of victory until the home side sealed it with a race to spare.

But it was Newman, who it is sometimes hard to believe won’t be 18 until December 14, who produced the individual race highlight when beating Bugeja to the line for a vital second place in heat four.

Looking back on that race, Newman, who’d got out in front with GB team-mate Simon Lambert but then been passed on the outside by the Australasia rider on the second corner, said: “I got stuck in a bit of traffic, but a bit of guts and determination got me through.

“I felt I would chase him (Bugeja) for a couple of laps to find out where he would make a mistake.

“I pushed him hard and finally forced him to make a mistake on the last bend of the last lap.

“I forced him as wide as I could to try and create a gap, and when one appeared, I just shot through and beat him to the line.

“My overall display felt okay, but I thought I could have scored better and gone quicker.

“It’s just nice to get a win for my country on my international debut and it was a great experience I want to taste again.”

Jay Herne, Buccaneers' captain, was fourth in the Joe Thurley Memorial Trophy at Birmingham last night behind winner Mark Lemon, runner-up Jason Lyons and Paul Clews.