Birmingham, who host Workington Comets on Sunday, are looking for a new signing after Austrian Manuel Hauzinger left the club on Wednesday.

Hauzinger (pictured) has struggled for form since he returned to the club for a second spell in May.

Boss Graham Drury held crisis talks with the rider after Saturday's defeat at Stoke and gave him two more meetings to save his place.

But Hauzinger has now made the decision easier by asking to be released after last night's Premier League clash with Berwick at Perry Barr.

Said Drury: "That's just not good enough for me or this club.

"I gave him one last chance and yet I believe he wanted to race tonight and then race in Poland on Sunday because things haven't been going well over here.

"We now have the rider replacement facility for the next 14 days and we are actively searching for a replacement already."

The Brummies returned to second place in the Premier League table, ahead of the Comets on scoring differential, with a hard-earned victory over Berwick in another entertaining Perry Barr encounter.

Once again, the BRC Roofing Brummies were indebted to the form of flying reserve Richard Sweetman, who dropped just one point from seven rides in another bumper return of 19 (paid 20).

Sweetman won his first three outings, and that kept his side in touch after a difficult start to the meeting with the Paul Clews/Josef Franc combination proving particularly impressive and gaining two 5-1s for the visitors.

But when Sweetman combined with Ludvig Lindgren for a 5-1 in Heat 8, the Brummies never looked back and extended their lead with some thrilling battles along the way.

Brummies asset Clews just salvaged second place from Tomasz Piszcz on the line in Heat 10, behind Sweetman, and also had the consolation of being the only man to beat Sweetman in Heat 12 to bank a six-point haul from a tactical ride.

But before that, Jay Herne had shown his ability with a fine 5-1 alongside skipper Jason Lyons over a previously unbeaten Michal Makovsky.

Another close call went Piszcz's way in Heat 13 as he made it around Makovsky on the run to the flag, and Sweetman's fine night was completed with victory in the next.

Lyons and Piszcz wrapped things up with a final 5-1 which meant the final scoreline didn't entirely reflect the way in which the meeting had gone - but the Brummies are again in confident mood as they prepare for Sunday's big match against Workington.

BIRMINGHAM 54: Richard Sweetman 19+1, Jason Lyons 11+2, Tomasz Piszcz 9+3 Ludvig Lindgren 8+1, Robert Ksiezak 4+2, Jay Herne 3, Manuel Hauzinger R/R.

BERWICK 39: Paul Clews 13+1, Michal Makovsky 10, Josef Franc 7, Stan Burza 5, Greg Blair 2, Guglielmo Franchetti 1+1, Tero Aarno 1.

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