Three wins for Tai in Wolves success

The teenager rattled off 12 paid 13, as the Monmore men won the Midlands derby at a canter in front of a big crowd.

But it wasn't the points as much as the accomplished style which had the home punters purring last night.

Woffinden was fast from the tapes, smooth and committed in the turns and looked more like a 10-year EL veteran than an 18-year-old in his first top-flight season.

But for an inspired heat five last-bend pass by Coventry skipper Chris Harris, Woffinden would have had four wins off the bat in his regular outings.

However Harris went high up to the boards before driving down the inside on the run to the line to take the victory.

It was precisely the manoeuvre employed just one race previously by home skipper Peter Karlsson to edge out the determined Oliver Allen. Perhaps Harris had been taking notes.

In any event, Woffinden and Harris saved the best for the very last. The Coventry star and the persevering Allen made a fine start and looked good value for a consolation 5-1, until Woffinden flashed inside both of them coming out of the pits bend on lap two.

It was a stunning move, and the home team's jubilation was complete when skipper Peter Karlsson managed to relegate Allen to fourth.

Yet Harris was not to be denied, working his way inside Woffinden on the final lap and then hanging on to the line as the Wolves pair harried him all the way.

It was a tremendous heat, capping a night of fine racing. Wolves had made the blitz start of which team manager Peter Adams dreams, leading 17-6 after four heats.

They then absorbed Coventry's attempted revival, minimising the impact of both double-point tactical rides and taking the match in some comfort.

Fredrik Lindgren again excelled and dropped his only point to the inspired Harris in heat 13.

There was support throughout and Adam Skornicki, who had a torrid night after a fall in his first race, popped up at the death with a fine win in heat 14.

Harris was the only race winner, for a Coventry side again in the process of injury-enforced reconstruction.

With Scott Nicholls' stay over and Ben Barker's return still pending, the Bees are in transition and will improve. But it's Wolves who are really buzzing.