WOLVERHAMPTON put in another tremendous performance to win 50-40 at Peterborough and take all four league points on offer.

The Monmore side took full charge of the meeting in a blistering opening spell of three 5-1s in the first five races, and they efficiently defended their advantage even though Panthers star Chris Harris raced to a superb 18-point maximum.

The result lifts them up to second place in the Premiership table, with the possibility of going top with a win in the return fixture at home to Peterborough on Monday.

Peter Adams’ men were clearly brimming with confidence from their impressive show against Sheffield, and they carried that straight into their clash with the faltering champions.

Skipper Sam Masters and Steve Worrall roared to an opening 5-1 over Scott Nicholls and Michael Palm Toft, and there was then a superb Heat 2 effort from Leon Flint to hold off the ever-present challenge of Benjamin Basso.

Wolves’ dream start continued as Luke Becker bundled his way inside Ulrich Ostergaard to join Ryan Douglas for a 5-1 in Heat 3 – and although Harris gave the Panthers a race win by passing Nick Morris on the last lap in the next, Masters and Worrall extended the lead to a massive 14 points with another maximum in Heat 5.

A tape-breaking for Nicholls actually worked to the Panthers’ advantage in Heat 6 as Basso came in to join Palm Toft to trim the margin with a 5-1, and Harris kept Douglas at bay in the seventh.

But Worrall kept his fast-gating form going to defeat Nicholls in Heat 8 with Flint third, meaning Wolves took a 30-18 advantage into the second half of the meeting.

Harris took a tactical substitute ride in Heat 9 but Morris limited major damage with a battling effort to pass Hans Andersen for second place after the home duo initially looked to team-ride him out of contention.

Worrall finally lost his unbeaten tag to the flying Harris in Heat 11, but Wolves were happily defending their lead, and they did so again in a stunning Heat 12 when Becker found himself third, but rounded Hans Andersen and then moved inside Basso for a brilliant win.

Wolves’ victory was delayed by Palm Toft surging inside Morris for third place on the last bend of Heat 13 as Harris reeled off his fifth victory, but Douglas confirmed it in the next as he won the re-run after picking himself up from an awkward turn one tangle.

And a shared race courtesy of Worrall and Becker behind maximum man Harris in Heat 15 ensured all four league points for Wolves.

Manager Peter Adams said: “We needed to erase the damage done by the home defeat to Ipswich by recording something on the road.

“We got very close at Ipswich, we should have won there but just missed out, but the boys acquitted themselves really well tonight, and it’s a relief to have our two reserves in position taking the weight off one another.

“I think we saw on Monday that Drew (Kemp) is gradually getting it dialled in at Monmore, and it will be interesting to see how he and Leon do on Monday now.

“I think Sam and Steve like riding together, and it’s important in any match to get off to a good start.

“Sam has been in the form of his life in the last month and Steve tonight had a very strong meeting, and fully merited his Heat 15 appearance.”

PETERBOROUGH 40: Chris Harris 18, Benjamin Basso 7 Michael Palm Toft 6+1, Hans Andersen 3+1 Scott Nicholls 3 Ulrich Ostergaard 3 Jordan Jenkins 0.
WOLVERHAMPTON 50: Steve Worrall 11+2 Luke Becker 9+3, Sam Masters 9+1, Ryan Douglas 9+1 Leon Flint 6+1 Nick Morris 5, Drew Kemp 1.

Photo Credit: JEFF DAVIES