Without a Premier League victory this season, Tigers looked on track to halt their poor run but Reading proved too powerful in the final heats to win 51-42.

However, this was an improved performance from the West Row-based outfit, as the pairing of Sebastian Truminski and Barrie Evans won heats one and six while the returning Henning Loof forced his way from third to win heat two.

Danish duo Jan Graversen and Casper Wortmann added another maximum in heat four before the Racers hit back.

Despite defeat, new team manager Richard Knight was delighted with the performance.

“They all wanted it and that showed on the track,” he said.

Knight, a former Fen Tiger, was appointed team chief when the successful takeover bid by King’s Lynn promotion team of Keith and Jonathan Chapman, was completed on Thursday.

The deal has secured the future of Mildenhall Speedway, and the new team made their intentions clear from the start.

“It has been a testing year for the Tigers and I have admired the great support Mildenhall fans have given to the team,” said Keith Chapman.

“I hope this will give everyone a boost and that we can all work together to build an exciting future for the club,” he added.

“We looked at buying Mildenhall two years ago. Once you have achieved success like we have at King’s Lynn, you want to carry this on elsewhere.

“Mildenhall is a good club and this will be a nice challenge. I would like to see it become a proper training track and develop riders.”

To assist in this plan highly-regarded team manager, Knight, replaced Laurence Rogers.

“Richard was a member of the title winning Tigers’ side in 1979 and knows the sport well,” said Keith Chapman.

The father and son duo will deal with the day-to-day running of the club while previous promoter, Simon Barton, has been re-employed as part of the management team to carry on promoting the sport locally.

The new owners have guaranteed Conference League racing at a minimum for next season, or the possibility of a place in a Premier League 2 if the spot decides to split the division.

Tonight, Fen Tigers travel to Somerset before returning to West Row for their penultimate home date, against Stoke Potters on Sunday (start 4.30pm).