Wolves topple unbeaten Eastbourne

Wolves 46 Eastbourne 44

Super Swedes Peter Karlsson and Fredrik Lindgren were the last-gasp saviours as Wolves inflicted a first defeat of the season on table-topping Eastbourne.

Eagles No 1 Bjarne Pedersen had somehow kept the pair at bay for all four laps in heat 13, winning by what must have been inches as Lindgren made his final inside thrust for the line.

But not even the excellent Pedersen - who had already extended Lindgren to the full in a pulsating first heat of three passes - could overhaul the pair in the decider once they had emerged from the second bend ahead.

Wolves versus Eastbourne clashes throw up more than their fair share of classics and this was one to stand comparison with the best.

Two weeks ago forecast rain which did not arrive saw a slick track; last week a late downpour produced a heavy one.

Last night, with the weather gods finally co-operating, Monmore was at its best with the Sky cameras lapping up some cracking races in a match which saw the lead change hands seven times.

Speedway, in more than one sense, is all about balance and Wolves' current lop-sided look is generating an air of tension on the terraces. The top three of Karlsson, Lindgren and Tai Woffinden can hardly give more.

Woffinden would have gone through the card but for a slow puncture in the fifth and Ty Proctor's timely return to form - two priceless 5-1s with Lindgren watching his back - gave much needed back-up.

And you had to feel for Ludvig Lindgren, riding in the main body of the side and yet condemned by a combination of Eastbourne's strength in depth approach to team building and the vagaries of the 15-heat format never to face a rider with a lower average than his own last night.

At reserve, Tyson Burmeister and Ricky Wells had another evening to forget.

In what was always going to be the tightest of encounters, Burmeister lost a place in heat two when chasing wide instead of tucking in while Wells and the younger Lindgren left an inside gap in heat 12 which Simon Gustafsson filled with gratitude.

Poor Burmeister also came off in the 11th and was unable to clear the track - the red lights came on just as Karlsson came up alongside Pedersen who, needless to say, won the re-run.

Finally the American came adrift in the penultimate heat and moved his bike to the fence - as is done on the tight tracks of his homeland - rather than onto the centre green.

The race was stopped but, to home relief, referee Peter Clarke decided Woffinden would not have been overhauled and awarded the placings.

Then the Swedes took their bow.

By Tim Hamblin