BRITISH Rally Championship star Matt Cotton banished the memories of his 2008 crash when he finished a creditable 13th overall and second in class at last weekend's Pirelli International Rally.

Partnered by co-driver Glyn Thomas, the rapid Cornishman from St Teath endured a hard-fought battle with AVS Motorsport team-mate Gethin Jones throughout the 96 competitive stage miles in Cumbria to miss out on a win by just 8.1 seconds.

Said Thomas: 'It's been an amazing battle all day long and we were trading times with Gethin throughout the event.

'I'm really pleased by our performance this weekend, especially considering Matt ended this rally in 2008 upside down in a ditch! It's clear to see we have improved on every event this season and are looking forward to the sealed surface of the Jim Clark Rally in a few weeks' time.'

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