NICK Morris reached the B final at the second round of the Australian Speedway Championship but slipped two places in the overall rankings yesterday.

The Swindon Robins ace, who was third overall heading into the meeting at Mildura, was pipped by former Abbey Stadium teammate Justin Sedgmen in the B final as he ended the evening fifth overall with two rounds still to go.

The 22-year-old had been in impressive form in his first meet of 2017 earlier in the week, finishing fourth in the final in Adelaide after earlier claiming three wins from his five heat rides.

However, he was only able to take the chequered flag once in round two, although his tally of eight points allowed him to progress to the latter stages.

Australian international Sam Masters boosted his hopes of taking the overall title with victory at Mildura.

Masters reached the final on countback with 12 points, then beat Max Fricke, Davey Watt and Sedgmen, whose fall saw him excluded in the A final, to move into third place overall on 26 points.

Round one winner Watt remains out in front overall on 32 points with Sedgmen third.

Rounds three and four take place in Undera, Victoria, and Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, on January 11 and 14 respectively.