MURRAYFIELD Racers welcomed back Canadian player/ coach John Newberry

and Great Britain defenceman Paul Hand from suspension but still lost

for the second time in 24 hours when they went down 8-6 to Durham Wasps

last night.

Wasps -- stung three times by Racers so far this term -- prevented a

whitewash in the league by edging the Edinburgh side in a close

encounter on Wearside.

Racers plans were disrupted by the absence of recent signing Grant

Slater, who badly injured his shoulder in the 7-5 defeat by Cardiff on

Saturday, and they were unable to find their rhythm on the tight Durham

ice pad.

With their championship hopes dashed, Racers must now regroup and

build towards their stated target of reaching the British Championship

semi-finals at Wembley in April.

On Saturday, Racers, without defenceman Paul Hand, who was serving the

last game of a six-match ban, as well as Newberry, went ahead when

Canadian marksman Chris Palmer scored after three minutes.

But the home side went ahead 3-1 after the first period, a lead which

they extended to 5-2 by the end of the second. Racers staged a charge in

the last period and won it 3-2 after bringing the game to 6-5 with just

eight minutes left, but Ian Cooper finished it off with a killer goal

two minutes from time.

Fife Flyers lost 5-3 at home to Humberside and now face an uphill

struggle to make the play-offs.

Paisley Pirates maintained their 100% record after nine starts in

division 1 when they whipped under-strength Glenrothes 21-4. Results:

Saturday: Heineken premier division -- Cardiff 7, Murrayfield 5; Fife

3, Humberside 5; Billingham 17, Whitley 9; Nottingham 7, Durham 4.

Division One -- Milton Keynes 7, Swindon 7; Slough 12, Telford 7; Lee

Valley 8, Basingstoke 23.

Scottish division 1 -- Paisley 21, Glenrothes 4; Aviemore 6, Kirkcaldy

2.

Yesterday: Heineken premier division -- Billingham 6, Cardiff 12;

Durham 8, Murrayfield 6; Peterborough 7, Nottingham 9; Whitley 11,

Humberside 5.

Scottish division 1 -- Basingstoke 17, Milton Keynes 3: Medway 3,

Romford 7; Irvine 3, Tayside 3.