Wolves were left with a fight for their Elite League future after racing into a 16-point lead in their relegation play-off with Peterborough last night.

Their optimism was washed away by the rain as the Panthers effectively sealed the Monmore men’s fate ahead of tomorrow’s second leg.

The result leaves Peterborough hot favourites to win the return at the East Of England Showground – and that would leave t Wolves to face King’s Lynn or Edinburgh over two legs to keep their place in next year’s top flight.

The downpour arrived midway through the match and made conditions extremely difficult, with race times slowing by around four seconds, but the riders grimly stuck to the task and completed the 15 heats.

Wolves tore into their opponents from the off, scoring six successive heat advantages to leave their opponents in disarray.

Danny King suffered a fall and a tape exclusion in his first two rides on a track he normally enjoys, and hopes were high that a decent advantage could be built by the home side.

But two successive tactical rides from the Panthers resulted in a six-point win for Kenneth Bjerre and a second place for guest Rory Schlein, and suddenly the visitors were back in contention just as the skies opened.

From then on the Panthers were by far the sharper out of the gate, despite the best efforts of Fredrik Lindgren and Niels Kristian Iversen, and the home side did not score another heat advantage all night.

Karol Zabik enjoyed a good night from reserve for the visitors, although he caused controversy in the first running of heat 8.

The former world under-21 champion came down on the first turn, and seeing that Schlein had lost further ground to the Wolves from his 15-metre handicap, remained prone on the shale until the race had stopped. The Pole was excluded from the re-run, and Schlein made the most of his second chance but couldn’t quite catch Morten Risager.

Reserves Ludvig Lindgren and Nicolai Klindt showed early promise for the Wolves, but faded as the track became heavier, while Jesper B Monberg was a faller in heat 13 as the lead shrank further.

Two Panthers 5-1s in the final two races cut the Wolves advantage to a solitary point, and Iversen summed up the home side’s night with an open display of fury in the pits afterwards.

The one positive note of the night was the announcement by BSPA press officer Nigel Pearson after heat 4 that Tai Woffinden will ride for Wolves in 2009.

Wolves asset Woffinden, one of the hottest properties in British speedway, is currently on loan to Premier League side Rye House, but made his World Cup debut in the summer and will step up to the Elite League full time next season.

Wolves will warm up for their second leg clash at the East of England Showground tomorrow when they take on Birmingham tonight in the second leg of the Midland Shield.

The side are defending a four-point lead from the first leg, and both Iversen and Monberg are rested for the trip to Perry Barr in an attempt to even up the two sides.

Premier League reserves Jerran Hart and Luke Priest will step in for Wolves, while the Brummies will use Swindon’s James Wright in place of broken jaw victim Kyle Legault.

Tapes go up at Perry Barr at 7.45pm. Teams:

Birmingham: Tomasz Piszcz, Craig Watson, Jason Lyons, James Birkinshaw, James Wright, Jay Herne, Ben Taylor.

Wolves: Freddie Lindgren, Morten Risager, David Howe, Ludvig Lindgren, Nicolai Klindt, Jerran Hart, Luke Priest.