Dudley Heathens 46 Belle Vue Colts 44

In a sport of fine margins, half a wheel may just have turned round Dudley Heathens’ season.

That was the margin by which captain Jon Armstrong prevailed in the last-heat decider, chasing down Colts’ number one Kyle Howarth and getting the crucial drive off the final turn to nick victory on the line.

With debutant Jamie Courtney relegating Adam McKinna to the back, Dudley took a vital win at ‘Monmore Wood’ which may yet reignite their play-off drive.

The importance of the result can hardly be overstated. A heavy home defeat by Mildenhall and two thrashings on the road at Scunthorpe and Stoke saw the confidence drain visibly out of this young side.

But last night’s superb encounter – every other heat on a well-prepared Monmore track seemed to be a photo-finish – saw the first steps to a brighter future with veteran Armstrong’s performance absolutely pivotal.

Belle Vue, with young star Jason Garrity unavailable, made a statement from the off by giving his heat one rider replacement outing to the experienced Byron Bekker.

A pumped-up Armstrong responded with a statement of his own, driving round Bekker as the pair came out of the fourth corner.

And with 17-year-old Darryl Ritchings denying the 10-point average Howarth even a point, Dudley were up and running.

But their gating would even make former star Jan O Pedersen blush and time and, again, the home side had to earn their points from the back.

At six points down victory seemed a tall order, particularly with the accomplished McKinna in the process of reeling off four straight wins for the visitors.

Yet Dudley gradually reeled in their prey, with Courtney unflappable, Tom Perry much brighter and Ritchings – whose riding style was singled out for praise by as well qualified a spectator as Wolves star Ty Proctor  – beating an opponent in every ride from the awkward number two slot.

But if the ebullient Armstrong proved the star turn then quiet man Richard Franklin, a potent threat at reserve, took the limelight in the penultimate race.

With Ashley Morris taking a gritty third place, it was the self-effacing Franklin who made a textbook start to ride an immaculate line for all four laps, despite immense pressure from the charging Bekker.

Franklin’s vital victory set the scene for Armstrong’s grand finale, the captain warmly congratulated after the race by a sporting Howarth. That half a wheel may have started something rolling.

By Tim Hamblin