Appleyard Macadam Racing’s Keith Farmer battled to a debut Dickies British Supersport win after an uncompromising battle throughout the race with Gearlink Kawasaki’s Andrew Irwin.

Irwin took the holeshot from the front row of the grid, meanwhile the pole man Farmer slipped back to fourth on the opening lap.

Halsall Yamaha’s Joe Francis was in the early battle for the lead but tucked the front on the run into Clark’s corner, leaving Irwin at the front followed by the close attention MV Agusta’s Jack Kennedy and Farmer.

Irwin held the lead up to half race distance before Farmer saw the smallest of gaps appear at Taylor’s Hairpin and switched across from the outside to inside of the track to take the lead in what was a stereotypically motocross style block pass.

Gearlink’s Irwin quickly returned the favour to Farmer two laps later though, diving back past with a block pass of his own.

The race winning move came on the penultimate lap, and with Irwin looking so strong on the brakes into the final Hairpin, Farmer knew he had to make a move elsewhere on track.

After a strong run through the Arnold Clark Chicane, Farmer let off the brakes and rolled past Irwin as they entered Clark’s turn.

The Clogher Bullet set the fastest lap of the race on the last lap then to secure the victory, his first in the Supersport class and the Appleyard Macadam’s first since 2011.

Irwin held off a last lap challenge to take second, meaning Kennedy had to settle for the final place on the podium.

German born Aussie Ben Currie came across the line in a lonely fourth place before the EHA Racing pair of David Allingham and Ross Twyman took the chequered flag in fifth and sixth.

CF Motorsport’s Sam Clarke beat Jamie Perrin to the battle for seventh, followed by Ryan Dixon and Harry Truelove rounding out the top ten.

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