Wolves 56 Belle Vue 36

On a night when Fredrik Lindgren showed all his skills to produce a perfect 18-point maximum, it was Tyson Burmeister who got the biggest cheer at Monmore Green.

The American landed his first paid win as a Wolf in his 10th match – and brought the house down.

Although aged 26, Burmeister is a speedway rookie who first threw a leg over a shale bike in autumn 2008. The plunge into Elite League racing after a few USA Dream Team matches at third tier level has not been easy.

But speedway fans love a trier and many will have watched the Californian pound out the Monmore laps last Tuesday under the watchful eye of ex-world champion Sam Ermolenko.

That practice looked like paying off as early as heat two when Burmeister tucked in behind Ricky Wells and kept the probing Craig Cook behind him for all four laps – or all of them bar the final corner and run to the flag when the persevering Belle Vue man got to the line just ahead.

But the moment, when it came, could not have been timed better.

Belle Vue were still in with the chance of a point by heat 14 and fielded the admirable Patrick Hougaard along with the gallant Cook, handed the black and white double points helmet, his team-mate had already donned it in the tenth.

Burmeister twitched at the start and prompted a ragged volley from the tapes which saw the visitors off into the fresh air.

Had referee Chris Durno let the race continue – and many officials would – this story would lack its denouement.

But Durno brought them back and, this time, it was Burmeister who trapped and Ludvig Lindgren who joined him at the front.

Hard as the Aces pair chased, they could make no impression and the terrace cheers mounted by the lap to reach a crescendo as the home duo crossed the line.

Lindgren, too, enjoyed his best night of the season to date, albeit with a touch of fortune in the 12th when Cook locked up and fell when on a likely 5-1 with Charlie Gjedde.

And Lindgren’s form, allied to the customary all-out endeavours of Ty Proctor, meant Wolves were able to cover for the injury-enforced absence of Tai Woffinden.

Of course, it doesn’t hurt when your No 1 reels off six successive wins including four over his opposite number Chris Harris and veteran captain Peter Karlsson clocks in for paid 15.

Harris did nudge his front wheel ahead down the back straight in heat five, only for Lindgren to wind it on round the next corner and emerge ahead.

The Swede showed a gritty edge in the next after collecting a hefty but legitimate first-bend shove from Rory Schlein.

Lindgren drove hard down the inside line coming off the following corner and it appeared clear to many – including, presumably, Schlein himself – that he was coming through whether or not his rival moved over. The visitor wisely acquiesced.

By Tim Hamblin