Battling Wolves lose out

Elite League Champions Coventry showed exactly why they won the title last week as they eased to victory in the third leg of the Craven Shield semi-final at Monmore Green last night.

The Bees won by 14-points on the night from the Parrys International Wolves, who recorded their highest score of the tie although it was not enough to take them above Ipswich for second place overall.

Peter Karlsson was close to track record pace as he defeated Scott Nicholls in Heat 1, the only time the Bees skipper dropped a point in his four rides.

Karlsson missed out only against Rory Schlein in Heat 10, and Fredrik Lindgren won his first two rides before being beaten by Nicholls and Chris Harris - who carded a four-ride maximum for Coventry.

Billy Hamill started well by winning Heat 4, but he then broke the tapes in his next ride and was unable to make up for 15-metre handicap in the re-run.

Wolves led by two points on the night after each team had completed four races, but Coventry then secured a string of heat advantages to take them clear.