British Superbikes: O'Halloran closes on Riders Cup after Assen top 10

Qualifying the Honda Racing Fireblade in eighth place in the Netherlands, O’Halloran started the first of two races from a third-row grid position and fought hard to pass Christian Iddon on the final lap to bring the bike home in seventh.

Race two was a damage limitation affair, with O’Halloran forced to run off the track and across the gravel to avoid a nasty crash involving his team-mate Dan Linfoot on the second lap.

He rejoined down in last place, but with the course car on track to allow the marshals to recover both riders and bikes, he was able to keep in touch with the riders ahead.

Once the race resumed, O’Halloran began to pick off the back markers and by lap seven was up to 14th.

The Market Rasen-based rider continued to make progress, passing Frazer Rogers on lap 12 to take up 11th, but with five seconds separating him from the top 10, it was impossible to make further progress and he held station to pick up five more points.

With the nine points won in race one, his total stands at 152, enough to keep him in seventh place overall in the race for the Riders Cup, awarded to the rider who completes the season in seventh place.

The final round is at Brands Hatch in two weeks’ time when three races will decide the final championship places.