Wolves speedway's home run is over

Wolves 42 Poole 51

Wolves suffered their first Elite League home defeat in 30-odd months as Poole underlined their title credentials.

The Monmore men went through both the 2009 and 2010 campaigns with a 100 per cent win record at WV2 after losing their final home league match of the 2008 season.

But, on a fairly slick circuit last night ,Wolves were repeatedly beaten from the gate and muscled out of the first turn. It meant the first away league victory in 33 matches since Ipswich took the spoils on 15 September 2008.

Much of the post-match analysis, perhaps unsurprisingly, centred on referee Craig Ackroyd's decision to disqualify Fredrik Lindgren after his heat-10 fall.

The subsequent Pirates 5-1 in the re-run left the Dorset side 10 points clear, although Peter Karlsson's double-point tactical win in the very next heat did get the home team back to within five.

Lindgren had been taken wider and wider in the first turn by Renat Gafurov and subsequently fell.

All four back looked a fair call at first glance but out went Lindgren while the Russian, who had shed a chain and was claimed not to be under power when the race was stopped, was allowed back in.

Yet if heat 10 was a focal point, it was hardly a pivotal one. Wolves were second best all night to the red-hot title favourites, five heats wins from 15 on your own shale tells its own story.

The panic button will not be pressed. Lindgren may have had a moderate evening by his own high standards but has hardly lost overnight the ability that has seen him top the league averages for the last two seasons.

Tai Woffinden is scoring solidly as he works his way back to the youthful zest which marked his debut Elite League campaign in 2009, while Karlsson continues to defy his 41 years and produced the ride of the night in heat seven.

Karlsson blasted his way round Davey Watt out of the second turn on lap two and then chased down leader Jason Doyle, bursting underneath him on the final bend to secure a memorable win.

Ricky Wells has thus far kept Wolves from being swamped at reserve, while partner Tyson Burmeister serves his apprenticeship.

But a bad night for Wells at this stage of the season means a struggle at the bottom end of the order for the team and, with second strings Ty Proctor and Ludvig Lindgren not on top of their game, Poole were able to strike.

Chris Holder dropped a single point, Watt continued his good Monmore form and Jason Doyle was a revelation for his paid 10.

At reserve, Dennis Andersson ran riot while former Wolf Christian Hefenbrock quietly compiled an efficient paid eight.

By Tim Hamblin