Wolves hand Coventry victory

Don't be surprised if Wolves' winter team building plans feature that well-known speedway pairing, Jekyll and Hyde.

Their performance in this Midland Trophy first leg defeat against the old enemy veered from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Amidst a flurry of falls a grateful Coventry side were allowed to steal away with the honours in Monmore's final match of the season despite providing only six race winners.

They were even gifted TWO 5-0 heat wins with Chris Harris the recipient on each occasion. The Truro racer, frankly, is talented enough to fight his own corner without being offered such largesse.

The first whitewash came in heat three when Christian Hefenbrock fell in fourth place, partner Freddie Lindgren leading.

Lindgren had produced a superb run off the inside of bend two to take the advantage and repeated it in the rerun, only to spin and tumble on the same spot next lap to hand Harris and Olly Allen the spoils.

Crucially, the repeat performance came in the final race with Wolves leading by three points.

Peter Karlsson and Scott Nicholls touched and careened across the first bend leaving the unfortunate Lindgren nowhere to go. He spun and fell, took a long look at Karlsson's position - third - and broke no records in clearing the track.

Karlsson just about had the edge out of the traps in the rerun, but locked up and fell on the second bend to leave Harris and Nicholls to romp home.

In between these mishaps the two sides produced some stirring racing on a surface which, considering the volume of water it had absorbed in the last few days, was a credit to the track staff.

Indeed, Peter Karlsson was comfortably inside his old track record in heat one and not all that far off his current mark either.

He also did well to track down and pass Allen in heat 10 after the Bee had bounced him wide in the first turn, allowing Harris to go clear.

Billy Hamill, though not enjoying his best of nights, drove bravely round Allen - later to retire - in heat seven but himself got caught out by Billy Janniro four races later when trying to get the better of Nicholls.

Janniro had benefited in heat one when Nicholls took Ronnie Correy wide on the back straight to leave an inviting gap.

But Correy had the last laugh in heat six when Rory Schlein dived underneath him on the approach to the final turn. The Roo boy was carrying too much entry speed and Correy simply switched lines underneath him to regain the place.

Wolves, with Lindgren also suffering mechanically, found their best support for skipper Karlsson from his brother Magnus.

Perhaps his new parenthood suits him but he was quick from the gate and determined in the turns to drop just one point from his four starts.

However, Wolves have it all to do in Friday's second leg - Coventry will need a Hyde-type nightmare of their own to relinquish their grip on this trophy.

Report by Tim Hamblin