WOLVERHAMPTON head back to Monmore Green tonight (Monday, August 29, 8pm) with what could prove to be a crucial league point in the bag.

The Parrys International Wolves were beaten 47-43 at Belle Vue on Monday afternoon - but they showed a stubborn resistance to return to the West Midlands for the return fixture with something for their brave efforts.

Without heat-leader Ryan Douglas, who aggravated a shoulder injury at Poole last Wednesday, the Monmore men dug really deep in the opening and closing stages as they became the first side to claim an away point at the National Speedway Stadium for the first time in almost three months.

The contest opened with five straight 5-1s - two for the Aces and three to the Wolves.

Former Belle Vue man Steve Worrall was involved in each of those for the visitors, teaming up with skipper Sam Masters in two and Luke Becker in the other.

The run of maximums was ended in Heat Six when Nick Morris won the first shared race of the afternoon before a string of home race winners helped them establish a six point lead.

Team manager Peter Adams opted to bring in Masters as a Tactical Substitute in Heat Ten - but the skipper was beaten for the first time before picking up his third race win of the afternoon in the very next race.

The Aces claimed victory after the interval though with back-to-back 4-2s - but Wolves’ hopes of taking a league point home with them were kept alive thanks to a 4-2 of their own in the penultimate race. A determined Becker battled his way to what eventually turned out to be a comfortable first heat victory of the day with Kemp passing Charles Wright on lap three to take third.

That left Wolves requiring a heat advantage from the final race - and Becker and Masters combined superbly to both pass Fricke on Lap Two to secure a fully deserved point.

Said Masters: “I’m stoked for the boys it’s a big point that we needed and I’m happy.

“Belle Vue had choice of gates in Heat 15, but Luke came up with an awesome ride off gate four which is always tough here.

“Hopefully now we can go and get that win at home and I think that would just about seal our position in the play-offs.”

BELLE VUE 47: Max Fricke 11+1, Norick Blodorn 10, Brady Kurtz 8, Jye Etheridge 6+2, Matej Zagar 6, Tom Brennan 4+2, Charles Wright 2+1.

WOLVERHAMPTON 43: Sam Masters 14+2, Luke Becker 12+1, Steve Worrall 7+2, Nick Morris 4, Drew Kemp 4, Leon Flint 2, Ryan Douglas R/R.

Photo Credit: IAN CHARLES