Monmore men run on empty

But even the most hardened of Wolves cynics would not have expected such a capitulation in the final league match of the season.This, after all, was a side that had taken the Pirates all the way to a last-heat decider on the same Wimborne Road circuit in May.

But that, of course, was also a Wolves team tracking a fully fit Peter Karlsson.

The skipper's dodgy knee ligaments lasted only as long as the first race. He gave it another go with a second outing, but then withdrew from the meeting. With him went any lingering hopes that the Parrys International Wolves could at least protect their 12-point advantage in pursuit of the bonus point.

Instead they were swept away in a graphic illustration of the gulf in outlook between a team whose season has all but finished and one whose campaign is effectively only just starting.

Wolves, ironically, were destined to finish ahead of the Pirates in the Elite League table before a wheel was turned last night.

But, Craven Shield and Midland Trophy dates notwithstanding, the serious business of their racing is done.

Poole's riders, meanwhile, are operating under the carrot of an imminent Knockout Cup semi-final second leg against Belle Vue and the stick of a rumoured close-season clearout.

They were quicker from the gate and tougher in the corners on a circuit that looked quite slick but was reported later by Karlsson to be surprisingly grippy.

With the captain sidelined and Billy Hamill less effective than of late - despite a fine heat 10 success over home number one Bjarne Pedersen - it was left to Freddie Lindgren to salvage some pride for the visitors.

Lindgren himself had been caught out by a fine run off the fourth bend boards by veteran Craig Boyce to deprive the 21-year-old of victory in his first race.

But the Swede took full allotment in heat nine, the race of the night.

Wearing the black and white double-point colours he fluffed the start to leave Greg Walasek and Krzysztof Kasprzak clear.

But as Kasprzak reared on the back straight Lindgren was through on the inside to inflict the Pole's sole defeat of the night. Not content with that, he then rounded Walasek off the pits bend for a sparkling win.

Lindgren was also responsible for denying Jonas Davidsson what would have been a five-ride paid maximum from the reserve berth - as good an indication as one could require about the extent to which Wolves were taken apart in this match.

The unlucky Davidsson was not even slated to appear in that particular race - heat 13 - but was drafted in after Walasek ploughed through the tapes to give referee Chris Gay what may well have been the easiest exclusion decision of his career.

For the hardy Wolves travelling fans there was at least the innocent entertainment afforded by announcer Clive Fisher's repeated mangling of Christian Hefenbrock's surname.

But by the end of the meeting it wasn't only the riders' names that had gone through the wringer.

by Tim Hamblin

Popular stories:

• Video - John Richards’ charity golf day

• McFly fans cause traffic mayhem

• Video - Jasper Carrott talks Blues

• Video - Wolves legends on current side

• Pets stolen for cruel dog fights