Kyle Ryde came out best of the Dickies British Supersport bunch in this afternoon's first race as he edged out series leader Jack Kennedy within sight of the finish.

The RS Racing Kalex rider emerged the best of a four-rider pack to pinch his first outright win of the season from Integro Yamaha's defending champ.

But Brad Jones was quickest out of the gates as Ryde tucked in behind while Kennedy soon got the better of SGR Racing's Tom Oliver to take over in third.

Almost immediately, Kennedy got ahead of Ryde before slipstreaming past team-mate Jones down the back straight and hitting the front of the pack.

As the Irishman began pulling a gap over Ryde and Jones, Alastair Seeley was nipping at the heels of Oliver in a bid to catch the top four.

Ryde soon caught back onto the tail of Kennedy after out-braking him into the Club Chicane, but Kennedy quickly regained his momentum and powered ahead.

With five laps to go, Philip Wakefield's crash over Woodham Hill caused chiefs to deploy the safety car as the leaders were bunched straight back up.

It was a three lap sprint to the flag when the safety car pulled back in but while Jamie Perrin took out Charlie Nesbitt, Kennedy held station at the front as he looked on for yet another victory.

As the leading quartet began the final lap, Ryde was looking for a way through on Kennedy while Seeley crept onto the wheel of Jones in a fight for the overall rostrum.

But an out-braking manoeuvre at Club put Ryde on the inside of the Supersport leader as the Kalex man held on for his first outright win of the season, while Jones and Seeley followed them home. 

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