By Scott Dougal, PA International

Australia's cyclists swept the medal placings in the men's sprint at the Manchester Velodrome tonight as England's Jamie Staff was pushed out into fourth place.

The former BMX world champion only took up track racing earlier this year and, while he had plenty of power, his inexperience was in evidence as he lost the third/fourth final to Jobie Dajka.

But it was Ryan Bayley, Staff's conqueror in the semi-final, who caught the eye as he denied Sean Eadie gold.

Eadie, a primary school teacher who listens to Metallica before racing, won the first of the best of three series but lost the next two as Ryan outfoxed the older man.

It is the second successive Games that Eadie has lost out in the final after settling for silver in Kuala Lumpur.

Staff was satisfied to have got as far as he did in his first major finals but he badly wants to win the team sprint on Friday when England's men compete with the top three from tonight.

"I'd say we can get there and beat them," he said. "We've got to stop them from getting any more golds."

Eadie only squeezed into the semi-final after twice incurring the disapproval of the race commissar in his bout with Dajka.

He was warned in the first race for moving across the line of Dajka in the final 200m of the three-lap contest but went on to win the race.

He 'won' the next one too, but it was awarded to Dajka after a second infringement - leaving him needing to win the third race - which he only did by the width of a tyre.

Despite his inexperience, Staff has already established himself as a world class contender, winning bronze in the 1km time-trial on Sunday.

He would probably have the beating of Bayley in a straight sprint and lost the first of his match-ups, earning a warning for moving down the track when his opponent was already there.

But it was hard on the 29-year-old who must have been put off when a camera lens from one of the press photographers tumbled down the banking as he and Bayley approached.

The result stood, however, meaning Staff had to win his next race to stay in the hunt for a place in the final.

And it was not to be as Bayley varied his tactics for the second outing of the best-of-three tie and attacked late in the second lap.

Staff, for all his raw power, failed to respond quickly enough, leaving him with too much to make up.

The third/fourth final was less of a contest and Staff went home empty-handed.

There was some drama in the minor final between Scottish Olympian Craig McLean, Northern Ireland's Alwyn McMath and Justin Grace of New Zealand.

First, Grace's wheel appeared to bounce over something on the track at the halfway mark. Then, as the trio accelerated in preparation for the final lap, McMath jack-knifed, taking McLean with him into the timber.

Grace won the race but there was some worry over the British pair, who were eventually able to walk off the track.