It was a week of two halves for Lee Johnston at the Isle of Man TT races this year.

After securing two top ten finishes in the opening few days of racing, an accident in Wednesday’s Supersport race cost him his chance of matching his earlier fifth place finish and the injuries he sustained meant he was unable to complete the final two races of the meeting.

The Maguiresbridge rider was lying fifth on the last lap of the second Supersport race and battling with Josh Brooks when he went straight on at Creg ny Baa, taking down Brooks and crashing into the padding on the outside of the bend.

“The off ruined the rest of the week, which was a bit upsetting because we were going well,” said Lee. “We had a brake issue. It was nobody’s fault. The bike took a bit of a tank slapper and knocked the pads back. I hurt my back. I have swollen a few vertabraes and it’s quite sore. I’m walking around like a duck!” It was the second bruising accident in a couple of weeks for Lee.

A crash at the North West 200 last month left him unable to compete in the final Superbike race, and his latest indiscretion once again ended his chances of ending the week on a high note.

Lee started both the Lightweight TT and the Senior TT, but the injuries were hindering his riding and he pulled the bike into the pits and retired from both races.

“We started the other races to see how I got on but I wasn’t fit,” he said. “The lads gave me a good talking to before I went out and said if it’s not right to come in. Its hard enough to do well around there when you are fully fit, and the back is the biggest part of your body, so you are in bother without it!” Despite the disappointment of not completing any of the final three races, Lee took a lot of positives out of his week’s racing.

“Before I went the aim was to be top ten and possibly top six, and we managed that at the start of the week, which was a positive start,” he said. “We were going to be in fifth in the second Supersport race as well, or at least that is where we were sitting before the crash, so we are there are there about. Before the Supersport race crash we were quickest in a couple of sectors and all my times have been there or thereabout. We were top in the qualifying session during the week as well. We all knew it was still going to be a learning year for me at the TT, but we are there now and for next year we will be going full assault.” Lee was scheduled to take a break from road racing and return to circuit racing in the British Superstock Championship.

His injuries will prevent him from competing this weekend, but he is hoping to be back in action on the following round in Knockhill later this month, before returning to the roads for the Scarborough Road Races and the Ulster Grand Prix later in the summer.