Irishman Ollie O'Donovan survived a late puncture to claim victory in a thrilling MSA British Rallycross round at a wet Lydden Hill.

The Ford Fiesta campaigner, who won the title in 2007, made a barnstorming start from the second row of the A-Final and held on to beat Yorkshire-based Kevin Procter.

Twelve supercars entered the championship's penultimate round on Bank Holiday Monday and while Procter topped the timesheets in two of the three heats, O'Donovan stormed off the line in the all-important A-Final to lead into Chesson's Drift for the first time.

Procter - with a new two-litre engine fitted to his Fiesta - pushed hard in second place but a mistake at the Devil's Elbow cost him time.

Looking set for victory after three of the four laps, O'Donovan slowed on the last tour as the puncture took hold but held on to win from Procter, championship leader Julian Godfrey (Ford Fiesta) and Peugeot 208 pilot Andy Scott.

Less than a second covered the top four positions as they crossed the line, with circuit owner Pat Doran in fifth.

B-Final winner Mark Flaherty (Ford Focus) took sixth, ahead of Mitsubishi man Steve Hill and championship regular Andy Grant.

O'Donovan said post-race: "I definitely won it from the launch. It was all from that - we were fourth on the grid then first.

"For a lap and a half I had a puncture; I had four punctures today. I felt it coming from the joker lap.

"I have to say I had the best grip in the wet this morning - we were untouchable - but we just had punctures."

Procter said: "If I had been confident off the line I think I would have won. "It was my fault really, but Ollie did a great race and it was a great final."O'Donovan's win promoted him to third in the Supercar standings, behind Scott and Godfrey on 219 and 231 points respectively.In a week when Jenson Button and David Coulthard visited the circuit to film a special BBC F1 feature about rallycross, the Lydden event attracted strong numbers throughout the classes.

In SuperNational, Citroen AX pilot Daniel Rooke extended his championship lead by beating Gareth Wood and Gary Simpson in a thrilling A-Final.

Faversham's Stuart Emery, the 2014 champion, was on course for a strong podium finish but a late misfire meant he dropped down the field.

The Peugeot 206 campaigner could only finish seventh and conceded post race that his championship bid is now over.

The 44-year-old said: "I was following Dan (Rooke) but the misfire came right at the end, in the last half of the lap.

"I had no power at all. It was a race that could have been but that's motorsport.

"I needed Dan to have a bad weekend and me to have won to have carried into Croft and all the while it's there mathematically you still try.

"But to be honest Dan has driven really well all year - he does deserve to win it this year.

"I'm happy to let him have the number one until next year - I will let him borrow it for a year!"

Canterbury's Tristan Ovenden enjoyed better fortune in the Swift Sport Rallycross Championship.

The 2014 champion beat pole-sitter Darren Scott to first in the A-Final, as Aidan Hills rounded out the podium placings.

Ovenden said: "I am properly made up. It feels like one of the best.

"There has been quite a lot of pressure just lately to come up with it and the other guys are quick.

"At your home circuit, you really want to do well. I am absolutely made up.

"It was about having a neat and tidy race; it was all there and I put it together."

Scott, from Sittingbourne, moved back to second in the championship after points rival Jack Brown rolled in the third heat and failed to progress from the B-Final.

Scott - who damaged his engine on the last lap and had to be towed to the pits post-race - said: "I was pleased apart from when it (the engine) went bang. In the end I had a brilliant weekend.

"A heat win, two seconds and pole position as well - and the car has been great all day.

"To finish second with a blown engine as well, I can't grumble. It was good."

Deal's Rob Maynard endured a tough meeting, finishing fifth in the B-Final and picking up 18 championship points.

Pluckley's Nathan Heahthcote went better, however, finishing fifth in the A-Final.

Elsewhere, Bexhill's Andrew Coley made his British Rallycross debut competing in the RX150 'buggy' class.

The FIA World Rallycross Championship TV commentator failed to finish his first and second heats after starter motor issues blighted his morning.

But he improved in the afternoon and after finishing his third heat, scored an impressive fifth in the A-Final from the back of the grid.

A delighted Coley said: "It was an absolute baptism of fire. "I learnt so much today about the wet rallycross - it's like someone throwing a blanket over the windscreen."The grip levels were changing all the time; I have learnt a huge amount."

Marc Scott won the class, followed by FIA World Rallycross Championship star Reinis Nitiss and championship leader Chrissy Palmer.

Citroen Saxo driver Tomasz Marciniak won the Hot Hatch class, while Craig Lomax took the Super 1600 spoils in his Citroen C2.

Drew Bellerby won the MSA Junior round, with Rob Gibson picking up the Retro Rallycross win in his MG Metro 6R4.

For full reports and reaction, see this week's Kentish Gazette and East Kent Mercury.