The Newport Wasps came tantalisingly close to pulling off a shock away league victory on the Isle of Wight last night against a home side who have been tipped by many as potential league champions this year.

But they were edged out by the narrowest possible margin in what was a thriller of a meeting from start to finish.

And, to add to their disappointment, came the news that No.1 Frank Smart may have broken a collarbone in a heat 13 fall.

If that early diagnosis is confirmed by hospital X-rays, it will come as a bitter blow to Tim Stone's side who really deserved at least a point from the match for their considerable efforts.

There was no real hint of the close contest to follow as the Islanders moved into a 22-14 lead after the opening six heats.

But Newport's Danish star Neils-Kristian Iversen sparked a terrific comeback by inflicting a rare defeat on Premier League Riders Champion Adam Shields in the next race.

And the introduction of Smart as a tactical substitute in place of young Karl Mason in heat eight paid rich dividends for the Wasps as he combined with the hitherto pointless Carl Wilkinson for a maximum 5-1 win.

The home side hit back with a 5-1 of their own in the next with Newport skipper Craig Watson relegated to third place only for that man Iversen and Tony Atkin to reverse that scoreline in heat 11.

That left the Wasps still four points adrift at 28-32 with just five races remaining and that gap between the two sides remained after the points were shared in heat 12 with Smart and Wilkinson filling the minor places behind race winner Shields.

Iversen took full advantage in the re-run of heat 12, heading home Islanders skipper Ray Morton who had been leading the first running of the race prior to his partner Chris Mills falling in spectacular style.

With Karl Mason picking up third place, the Wasps were now just two points adrift but disaster struck in heat 13 for, with Watson leading, Frank Smart fell heavily exiting the second bend of the third lap whilst in third place.

That earned him an automatic exclusion from the re-run from referee Ronnie Allan but, more worrying, was the fact that Smart picked up that shoulder injury.

Watson made no mistake in the re-run and, with home No.1 Danny Bird seizing his engine and retiring from the race, the 3-2 advantage for the Wasps left them trailing by a solitary point at 38-39.

The Islanders looked to be on their way to clinching victory in the penultimate race as Frenchman Sebastian Tresarrieu and Gary Phelps powered to the front from the tapes but the Wasps pairing of Tony Atkin and Chris Schramm cleverly threaded their way past Phelps to ensure that the heat was shared.

And so the match, and the league points, hinged on the final race of the night but there was no fairytale ending for Newport as Shields jetted from the inside start grid to head Watson and Iversen from start to finish and clinch victory for the Islanders.

So near and yet so far then for the Wasps who will be hoping that Smart's injury is not as serious as at first feared.

Scorers: (number of rides in brackets)

Islanders: Danny Bird 7 (4), Glen Phillips 3 (3), Ray Morton 11 (5), Sebastian Tresarrieu 6+1 (4 inc tapes exclusion), Adam Shields 13 (5), Chris Mills 2+1 (5), Gary Phelps 3 (5)

Wasps: Frank Smart 9 (5), Carl Wilkinson 3+2 (4), Niels-Kristian Iversen 12+1 (5), Tony Atkin 4+1 (4), Craig Watson 10 (5), Chris Schramm 4+1 (4), Karl Mason 2 (3).