Wolves so close to play-off place after manic Monday

It was a real ding dong battle in the Black Country as the Parrys International Wolves produced a purposeful performance to send the Aces back to Manchester with nothing.

Steve Worrall aggravated a shoulder problem in the afternoon fixture and was replaced by King’s Lynn’s Josh Pickering.

He was on a 5-1 with Sam Masters in the opener until Aces’ No.1 Matej Zagar crept up the inside off the final bend in the first of successive 4-2s, the second won by Leon Flint.

The visitors drew level in the third when bad luck hit the Wolves; Luke Becker flew away from the outside gate before a blown engine into bend three handed Belle Vue a 5-1.

The next four races were all shared heats won by a visiting rider to keep the scores tied – the pick of the action saw former Grand Prix regular Zagar produce an impressive outside blast off the final bend to deny Flint what would’ve been a notable scalp for the youngster.

Belle Vue’s rising star Tom Brennan crashed out of heat eight – and Wolves made the most of the extra man advantage in the rerun as they claimed their first 5-1.

Another soon followed in the next when Becker and Nick Morris both produced smart moves up the inside of the previously unbeaten Max Fricke.

Visiting captain Brady Kurtz won the next three races with Belle Vue clawing a couple of points back in heat 10 when Pickering was excluded for collecting Charles Wright down the back straight. But Wolves found their gating gloves and wrapped up a tremendous win with back-to-back 5-1s in heats 13 and 14.

Wolves are next in action on Thursday (7.30pm) when they travel to Sheffield.

Wolverhampton 50: Leon Flint 10+2, Nick Morris 10+2, Luke Becker 9+2, Sam Masters 9+1, Drew Kemp 6+2, Josh Pickering 6+1, Ryan Douglas R/R.

Belle Vue 40: Brady Kurtz 15, Max Fricke 10+1, Charles Wright 6+1, Matej Zagar 5, Jye Etheridge 3, Norick Blodorn 1, Tom Brennan 0.