TONY Atkin, Newport Everest Group Wasps, hopes to put Sunday's disappointing form behind him when he faces the Isle of Wight in the Islanders first home meeting of the season tonight.

Atkin, who finished with a paid six points from four rides in the nail-biting one point success over Rye House on Sunday, said: "I am my own biggest critic.

"I was disappointed with my performance and I can only apologise to the fans. I am just glad that we won.

"After the meeting I was not laughing and giggling and even now I am still annoyed with my performance. Hopefully I can put it right tonight."

But although critical of his own display - failing to score in his opening ride - the Wasps skipper teamed up again with Carl Wilkinson, on a tactical ride, and they returned an 8-1 success in heat five, a crucial success because Wasps were down by ten points after four heats.

Tonight will be the Islander's first home meeting of the season and the Wasps want to make sure they do not provide them with their first win.

Wasps, riding at Somerset on Friday, are protecting a five point advantage - not a great cushion - but have performed reasonably well on the Ryde track, although not winning in their last eight visits.

Wasps won away in 1997 and the following summer, both league meetings, and in 1999 and 2000 were victorious on Premier Trophy visits.

The closest the Wasps have been to winning in the last five years was losing by a point in the 2003 league clash (45-44) and by ten points last year in the Premier Trophy.

Wasps will have the same seven on duty with Sam Hurst having a liking for the Smallbrook Stadium track, hoping to give reserve partner Joel Parsons a little better support.

Hurst, who lives in the South of England, knows the track well, often hopping over to the island for a spin.

Isle of Wight: Chris Holder, Jason Doyle, Krister Marsh, Krzysztof Stojanowski, Robert Kasprzak, Chris Johnson, Nick Simmons.

Wasps: Neil Collins, Chris Schramm, Carl Wilkinson, Tony Atkin, Craig Watson, Joel Parsons, Sam Hurst.