Wolves down but not out in play-off
Wolverhampton were beaten 47-43 in their home leg of the Premiership Play-Offs against Sheffield last night – but a last race 5-1 gave them a glimmer of hope.
The Parrys International Wolves had won four consecutive home fixtures heading into the semi-finals but a couple of their stars endured a below par night ahead of Thursday’s return in South Yorkshire.
The tie got off to a dream start for Wolves with Steve Worrall hitting the front before team-mate Sam Masters muscled his way from fourth to second on bends three and four of the opening lap.
It was the visitors who gated on a 5-1 in heat two but a forceful move from Drew Kemp down the back straight saw him split the Sheffield reserves.
Adam Ellis won heat three for the visitors before a stroke of fortune for Wolves.
Justin Sedgmen was brought in as a reserve switch for Sheffield, but when his machine packed up on the approach to the start line, he was forced to go off a 15-metre handicap.
When the tapes rose, Nick Morris made a fast start while Leon Flint held on for third after being rounded by former Wolf Tobiasz Musielak in the early stages.
The scores were back level in heat five when Sheffield claimed their first maximum of the night from a fiercely-contested opening couple of laps – but the Monmore men responded superbly as Worrall and Masters combined for a second 5-1 to restore their four-point advantage.
Morris made another lightning getaway in heat seven to make it two out of two, but Kemp spun 360 degrees on bend two of lap three with Ellis pressuring to claim third.
The visitors then turned up the heat and produced four straight 4-2s to take the lead for the first time. Worrall’s unbeaten start was ended in heat eight by Lewis Kerr before Ryan Douglas slid out on the opening lap while challenging Musielak for the lead in the ninth.
Sheffield sat on a 5-1 in both heats 10 and 11 with Masters and Morris having to work overtime respectively to limit the damage with late passes on the last lap.
Disaster struck for the home side in heat 12 when Becker shed a rear chain while leading – the rerun saw Sheffield strike a 5-1 to move eight points ahead.
Morris ended the Tigers’ five-heat run of advantages by taking the chequered flag for a third time in heat 13 – but with Masters struggling out at the back, they were unable to close the gap.
Wolves did threaten a 5-1 in heat 14, but Douglas’ nightmare continued when he came down on bend four after Kyle Howarth charged underneath.
But Morris ensured he ended the night dropping just one point as he and Masters did claim a final 5-1, with four points the difference ahead of their trip to Owlerton where they have run the Tigers close already this season.
Wolverhampton 43: Nick Morris 14, Sam Masters 8+3, Steve Worrall 8, Drew Kemp 5, Luke Becker 5, Leon Flint 2, Ryan Douglas 1.
Sheffield 47: Adam Ellis 11+1, Justin Sedgmen 7+2, Jack Holder 7+1, Lewis Kerr 7+1, Tobiasz Musielak 7, Kyle Howarth 5, Connor Mountain 3.
