THE first round of matches in greyhound racing’s biggest team event, the 2014 BAGS Track Championship, were completed this week.

Swindon entertained Brighton & Hove and Poole in a Group E contest on Monday, with the Sussex visitors taking a commanding lead into the next match.

Each track hosts a series of inter-track races, over all distaces and criteria, with the top track in each of six groups qualiyfing for the Grand Finals day, live on Sky Sports, on December 23.

This year’s event included an 18th track, with Doncaster coming through a qualifying round, and the Yorkshire venue hosted Peterborough and Yarmouth on Sunday and certainly acquitted themselves well.

Last year’s winners were Sheffield, with the previous winners being Newcastle (2012) and Monmore (2011).

Latest scores: Group A: Belle Vue 118, Newcastle 102, Sunderland, 59

Group B: Nottingham 104, Sheffield 89, Kinsley 87

Group C: Monmore 89, Hall Green 87, Perry Barr 76

Group D: Crayford 107, Romford 91, Sittingbourne 82

Group E: Hove 119, Swindon 88, Poole 72

Group F: Peterborough 113, Doncaster 84, Yarmouth 83

Remaining fixtures: Group A – Belle Vue, Sunderland (30 Oct), Newcastle (22 Nov) Group B - Nottingham (10 Oct), Kinsley (2 Nov), Sheffield (28 Nov) Group C - Monmore, Perry Barr (4 Nov), Hall Green (26 Nov) Group D – Crayford, Sittingbourne (26 Oct), Romford (17 Nov) Group E – Swindon, Poole (15 Nov), Hove (3 Dec) Group F – Doncaster, Peterborough (7 Nov),Yarmouth (1 Dec).