Wolverhampton Wolves v Belle Vue Aces

WOLVERHAMPTON fought back from six points down to edge out Belle Vue 47-43 in an incident-packed Sports Insure Premiership match at Monmore Green.

The Aces led 33-27 after Heat 10 but the meeting began to turn in the next race when No.1 Dan Bewley was involved in a spectacular collision with home reserve Zach Cook.

Both riders walked away but Bewley did not race again as a precaution and Wolves levelled with a 5-1 in Heat 13 – with the Aces then hit by mechanical trouble for Charles Wright in Heat 14 and Jaimon Lidsey just prior to the last race.

Sam Masters won the decider for Wolves with Rory Schlein third, although the league leaders did take consolation with the aggregate point to go eight points clear at the top.

Wolves boss Peter Adams said: “We were glad to get over the line, obviously, because they’re a tough team to beat.

“We were a bit asleep at the start in a few of the earlier races, but we had a bit of a get-together halfway through and they got it together when it mattered, that’s not the first time that’s happened here.”

Belle Vue skipper Brady Kurtz said: “Losing Dan in Heat 11 was a massive blow for us. It was just a racing incident and the fact that he was able to walk away, and Zach too, was a big relief.

“Then both Charles and Jaimon having bike problems in both their final rides compounded the damage but we kept the pressure on right to the end.

“Had we been at full strength going into Heat 15 I believe we could’ve won, and this result just proves that we can be just as strong around here as Wolves are.”