Wolves beaten at soggy Ipswich

The unexpected home loss by rivals Swindon minimised the damage, but this was not a vintage performance by Wolves at all.

As the rain poured out of the Suffolk sky, it was difficult to contemplate the match even being staged. Perhaps that was the way some of the Wolves riders would have preferred it.

Liberal applications of sawdust on the entry to the bends, plus a top dressing of extra shale, made the surface rideable if not raceable.

It was a Herculean performance by the Witches staff, who were rewarded with the maximum three-point win by a new-look team.

The Parrys International Wolves were level after four heats, courtesy of a 5-1 from skipper Peter Karlsson and surprise reserve package Lee Complin.

But after that they were never nearer than four points – highly frustrating for the travelling faithful as first one rider's form would pick up only for another's to desert him.

Adam Skornicki alone was the acme of consistency, well worth his nine points.

But the action again confirmed Foxhall Heath's reputation as a great place to watch speedway, rather than a place to watch great speedway.

The track, hemmed in unavoidably as it is by the stock car circuit, is just too narrow to allow multiple racing lines.

Early heats saw the riders strung out like the proverbial lines of washing. Sometimes Wolves made the start, more often Ipswich did.

That, for the first nine races at least, was pretty much that.

In fairness, as the weather brightened and repeated track grading took effect, the entertainment picked up.

Tai Woffinden produced the night's first pass as late as the 10th race, hammering under Tobi Kroner on the entrance to bend three.

Despite that, Wolves looked out of it after 10 races, trailing by eight points and with number one Fredrik Lindgren only coming to life after a change of bike.

A switch after two rides worked wonders. He and Nicolai Klindt, another Wolf to find growing confidence as events unfolded, combined for a 5-1 over new Ipswich signing Troy Batchelor and Wolves were back in the hunt.

But any hopes of Wolves grasping a point slipped in the penultimate race, when a likely 3-3 was torn from them when Stachyra flashed past Complin.

They then needed a heat advantage from the last race and weren't getting it – until Miskowiak crashed.

The re-run gave Wolves a second shot but that saw a Nicholls start that would be described as flying by home fans and was condemned as a flier by Lindgren afterwards.

Karlsson chased, but to no avail.