Tai Woffinden shines in Wolves win

Wolves 48 Birmingham 45

A brilliant performance from Tai Woffinden saved Wolves as they won this derby match not once but twice.

The 21-year-old took the last two heats as the Brummies threatened to snatch a victory which had seemed beyond them for much of the fixture.

Woffinden's second successive 15-point Monmore maximum sealed a win which had seemed a formality when racing was stopped for a track inspection after 12 heats.

Rain had fallen constantly throughout, but both sets of riders buckled down to defy the elements as referee Chris Durno sounded the two-minute warning for each heat, just moments after the previous one had finished.

The hosts were seven points up at that stage and must have thought the match would be abandoned, with all three league points secured.

But racing continued as the rain eased off, and the Brummies landed a shock 5-1 in the very next heat, when Freddie Lindgren tailed off at the back and Peter Karlsson moving superbly from fourth to second only to fall after putting his front wheel on the slippery pits bend kerb.

Now Birmingham, who had not provided a heat winner until the 11th race, had their tails up.

Ben Barker, who had been all at sea in the slush on what doesn't rate as a favourite circuit, managed to put a good start and fine first turn together to lead the penultimate race.

But Woffinden, having carefully lined up his man for two laps, made a high turn out of the second bend to win a drag race down the back straight and take the flag.

It meant the visitors needed a 5-1 in the last and Wolves fans must have feared the worst when Karlsson spun to a standstill on the opening bend.

However, Woffinden had everything under control. His high line looked close to the fence – it prompted squeaks of alarm on the terraces – but this is a rider whose Monmore performances currently border on the serene.

The Swede showed composure to first take the lead and then leave the Birmingham pair in his wake.

Earlier Wolves, with the top three going well, Ludvig Lindgren sharp at reserve and Ty Proctor grittily winning two races, before his knee and hip injuries took their toll.

They looked capable of keeping their rivals comfortably at arms' length and opened up a 10-point gap after seven races.

But Brummies team boss Graham Drury displayed iron self-will in keeping back the double-point tactical card until heat 12, won by Danny King.

With British champion Scott Nicholls as impressive as ever at the Green – he neatly picked Karlsson's pocket on the run to the line in heat 11 – Birmingham might well have pinched it at the death.

But the watchful Woffinden was not to be outdone.

By Tim Hamblin