Wolves face hectic finish
Wolves will wrap up their Elite League speedway season with three matches on successive nights as their play-off hopes hang by a thread.
They will host Belle Vue on Monday, September 18 and travel to Coventry and Poole respectively on Tuesday and Wednesday for previously postponed matches.
League fixtures have to be finished by midnight on Thursday, September 21 - and that date has been kept free for any further rain-offs.
Three matches on successive days is hardly an ideal run-in, but problems slotting in other postponed fixtures - notably Belle Vue against Reading - contributed to the shuffle.
Monday's calamitous home defeat against Swindon, coupled with startling away wins by Coventry at Ipswich and Reading, has now put the Parrys International Wolves on the back foot.
But team manager Peter Adams is looking for a response from his team - starting tonight at Reading and continuing tomorrow at Oxford.
Wolves have won at both venues already this season but desperately need a similar performance to help salvage a post-season berth.
"I don't know what it is about Wolves. There is a tendency to chuck the towel in far too early," said Adams.
"I'm not doing that. I will fight until it's no longer possible.
"It's not as if we have got to win every match between now and the end of the season, and get every bonus point.
"But we need to get something from one of these two matches. The team know that. I'm sure the reserves and second strings will be better than they were on Monday.
"Those are two crucial performances by the Bees. They've done exceptionally well, and might get the rewards. You've got to take your hat off to them. It's theirs to lose now."
Wolves are at full strength for tonight's clash at Smallmead. Reading, like Wolves reeling from a Monday home defeat, welcome back skipper Greg Hancock after the USA Nationals second round.
But they are without Czech reserve Sam Simota, who has a domestic racing commitment. Somerset's Ben Barker stands in at six with Mark Lemon moving to seven.
Reading: Greg Hancock, Janusz Kolodziej, Travis McGowan, Charlie Gjedde, Matej Zagar, Ben Barker, Mark Lemon.
Wolves: Peter Karlsson, Christian Hefenbrock, Ronnie Correy, Billy Hamill, Freddie Lindgren, William Lawson, Magnus Karlsson.
By Tim Hamblin
