Express & Star

Wolves back with a bang as Tigers are hunted down

Wolverhampton extended their winning home start as Speedway returned to Monmore Green last night.

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The Parrys International Wolves were back after almost a month away and beat Sheffield 48-42 as they closed in on the Premiership’s top two.

The fixture opened with four shared races – with the first two heats being won by riders up against their former employers.

Kyle Howarth, who won the league title with Wolves in 2016, marked his first return to Monmore as an opposing rider with a solid, tapes to flag victory before Broc Nicol made the most of a good gate for the hosts to win the battle of the reserves.

Ryan Douglas thought he’d found a way through on the opening lap of heat three, but a wise defensive move from Adam Ellis saw him hold on for the visitors.

It looked as though Wolves were set to make a breakthrough in Heat Four with youngster Leon Flint elbowing his way ahead of his rivals to join team-mate Schlein out front.

But the talented teen, who was making his home debut as their new Rising Star, was outwitted by Sheffield’s pairing of Jack Holder and guest reserve Tom Brennan in a move which saw him go from second to last.

But Wolves soon found their rhythm and opened-up a ten-point lead with three successive heat advantages.

Nick Morris made a blistering start to the fifth with all the action behind him.

Howarth locked up on bend two, leaving enough room for Douglas to charge his way past him and then Troy Batchelor down the back straight to seal the first 5-1 of the night.

Their lead was doubled in the next thanks to Luke Becker and Sam Masters who outgated their opponents, including one of the world’s in-form riders in Jack Holder.

That was before Schlein made it two out of two, with Nicol having to eventually settle for third despite a hard-fought ride which saw him pile the pressure on Sheffield’s Justin Sedgmen.

Heat Eight was action packed once again, but despite the best efforts of Becker he couldn’t find a way past the Sheffield duo.

Thankfully though Flint had made another quick getaway and rode an extra-mature ride to fend off Howarth in a race win which led to super loud cheers from the Monmore faithful. The hosts moved 14 clear after ten races, but back-to-back heat advantages from Sheffield saw that gap reduced back to eight.

But a first race win of the night from Masters in Heat 13 and a second place from Nicol in the penultimate race was enough to seal another victory for the Monmore men, despite the Tigers claiming a consolation league point by sharing the final race.

Parrys International Wolves head to Belle Vue next Monday (July 12, 7.30) with the next home action against Ipswich on Monday, July 19 (7.30) when restrcitions are set to be lifted in the UK.

WOLVERHAMPTON 48: Sam Masters 10+1, Luke Becker 8+2, Rory Schlein 8, Ryan Douglas 7+1, Nick Morris 6+1, Broc Nicol 6, Leon Flint 3.

SHEFFIELD 42: Troy Batchelor 11+1, Adam Ellis 7+1, Jack Holder 7, Kyle Howarth 6, Justin Sedgmen 5, Tom Brennan 4+3, James Wright 2.

n Wolverhampton Speedway reports provided in association with Parry’s International Travel.