Rapid Solicitors Kawasaki's Shane Byrne kept up the pressure on his MCE British Superbike rival with a win and a second at Assen, two results he 'would have chewed someone's arm off for' two weeks ago.

The two-time champion had to contend with a still-sore shoulder at the Dutch track but ran away with the opening leg and then pushed Josh Brookes hard in the second race but had to give best when backmarker Aaron Zanotti found himself in the middle of a last-corner dice.

“I would be lying if I said it was a big problem but it was sore when I had to change direction quickly on the bike. It was difficult but my job is to race but once I got through I was able to pull a gap and that really was a lucky race for us, but then after what we’ve been through we needed a bit of luck," said Byrne.

"I’m not complaining, to have got a first and second place on the first round back after what I’ve been through was something I would have chewed someone's arm off for before this weekend. I was lining up to pass Josh in the final corner in race two but was unfortunately baulked by a backmarker, but that's racing. I'm certainly fired up for Silverstone and happy enough to be just two points off the championship lead."