BIRMINGHAM'S new-look team were unable to secure a home win in their first outing together as Stoke took the local derby honours at Perry Barr.

It could have been so different had the Brummies managed to keep up an encouraging start which saw them took a 9-3 lead - but the Potters fought back and moved into a big lead which the home side were just unable to claw back in a fighting finale.

Big guns Jason Lyons and Kyle Legault were both in terrific form, and Lyons made his way past Mark Lemon to team up with Craig Watson for an 8-1 in Heat 13 which gave the Brummies hope having been twelve points down.

And when Legault gated with James Cockle in Heat 14 hopes were raised of a miraculous comeback, only for Jesper Kristiansen and Klaus Jaboksen to make their way past Cockle - so a last race 5-1 from Lyons and Legault left the Brummies a frustrating single point adrift.

New reserve Jay Herne won Heat 2 in impressive style, whilst Tomasz Piszcz took time to adapt to the circuit before finishing second to Ben Barker in Heat 12.

And the Brummies clearly weren't helped by Craig Watson blowing an engine on the start-line in his first race, which resulted in a 5-1 to the visitors.

Barker and reserve Jakobsen were the key men for the Potters, with Lyons' five-ride maximum and Legault's paid-14 score just in vain for the Brummies.

BIRMINGHAM 46: Jason Lyons 18, Kyle Legault 13+1, Craig Watson 5+1, Jay Herne 4, Jack Roberts 3+1, Tomasz Piszcz 2, James Cockle 1.

STOKE 47: Ben Barker 12, Klaus Jakobsen 10+1, Mark Burrows 6+3, Andrew Moore 6+1, Mark Lemon 6, Jesper Kristiansen 4+2, Charles Wright 3+1.