Lakeside's Richie Worrall crashes out with Australian rival Sam Masters at the Speedway World Under-21 Team Cup semi-final at Arena Essex (Gavin Ellis/TGS)

Worrall top scores for GB in Under-21 event

Lakeside Hammers youngster Richie Worrall top scored for Great Britain in the World Under-21 Team semi-final at Purfleet last night.

But his eight-point haul was not enough as Australia qualified for the final in impressive fashion.

Poole youngster Darcy Ward raced to a five-ride maximum, while Nick Morris, Sam Masters and Dakota North all tallied double figures and Alex Davies claimed nine points.

Worrall had a win, two second-place finishes and two exclusions, while Kyle Howarth also finished with eight points to his name.

Steve Worrall (six), Tom Perry (four) and Joe Haines (two) completed the GB line-up.

Denmark took second place with a team total of 45 points, led by Mikkel B Jensen and Michael Jepsen Jenson, who had four race wins and 14 points each.

The Czech Republic finished last with a combined 13 points, but British Under-21 champion Haines said: “It was always going to be really tough with the teams in it, but we are really disappointed with the result.

“It just came down to one afternoon and it wasn’t ours unfortunately.”

*The funeral of the late Lee Richardson will take place next Thursday (June 7).

Hammers captain Richardson died as a result of injuries sustained in a crash in Poland on May 13 and his funeral, for family and invited friends, takes place at Hastings Crematorium.

A wake will be held at Eastbourne’s Arlington Stadium from 3pm, to which all are welcome.