Play-off bid ends in Bees sting

But while Coventry had the greater all-round strength last night - Martin Smolinski was extraordinary at reserve - there was plenty of resistance from the visitors.

Wolves made a tenacious start and were within a couple of points after four races.

They needed to keep it tight in the middle section of the match in the hope of stepping up the pace in the later heats when the big three of Peter Karlsson, Billy Hamill and Freddie Lindgren would see more action.

But instead a big burst of home scoring all but killed off the match at 29-19 after eight races.

A tactical ride for Lindgren helped claw back a couple of points, but following heat 11 the margin was still eight and the stadium interviewer's question: "Who do you think we'll meet in the play-offs?" looked pertinent.

But this is a sport that perpetually springs surprises, and just two races later the comment appeared precipitate.

Smolinski had been blindingly quick all night, and swiftly passed Christian Hefenbrock in heat 12 after his fellow German had made his best start of the night.

With Hamill on a double-point ride from 15m but unable to make up any ground on third-placed Olly Allen, the Bees looked on the threshold of the last four.

However, Smolinski's motor expired and a likely home 4-2 took a five-point swing to a Wolves 5-2.

Karlsson made the start in the next and Lindgren flashed underneath Rory Schlein down the back straight - he got within a whisker of home skipper Scott Nicholls too - as the gap shrunk suddenly to three points.

Home tension was palpable as the travelling fans sensed the possibility of an upset victory. A share of the spoils in the penultimate heat would have given Wolves a shot at glory in the last, needing a 5-1 to win after never leading in the match - just the scenario they pulled off against Oxford and Ipswich in successive matches.

It wasn't to be. That man Smolinski was a winner all the way in 14, and although Hamill and Magnus Karlsson looked secure enough in the minor placings the Swede went too wide coming out of the pits bend and Nicholls picked him off.

With nothing now left to play for, Wolves conceded a rare last-heat 5-1 - Peter Karlsson an unwilling nominee with his troublesome knee strapped, but taking the ride as Hamill was suffering machinery problems.

But the Parrys International Wolves had given Coventry something to think about. Karlsson's injury reduced him to "gate or bust" despite the excellent racing surface but he picked up three wins.

Hamill, the former Brandon Bullet, still knows the quickest way round the circuit and had to call on all his knowledge to fend off Chris Harris in heat three.

The Englishman got up alongside the Wolves man on the back straight, and repeatedly launched his trademark inside dive out of the wide dirt on bend four. But Hamill held on, just as he repelled a big charge from Nicholls in heat 10.

Elsewhere, Ronnie Correy had a couple of lively jousts while Hefenbrock enjoyed his late win - the only Wolf apart from Hamill and Peter Karlsson to take the chequered flag.

But the decisive word, fittingly, went to Smolinski.

by Tim Hamblin

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