Elite League BLakeside Hammers 42 Wolverhampton Wolves 48HIGH-FLYING Wolverhampton stole the spoils to inflict a first home defeat of the season on the Hammers.

Elite League B

Lakeside Hammers 42 Wolverhampton Wolves 48

HIGH-FLYING Wolverhampton stole the spoils to inflict a first home defeat of the season on the Hammers.

The visitors edged in front during the very first race and from there on in the home side never got their own noses in front, despite drawing level with the visitors after heat five.

Wolves had their own hero in reserve Ty Proctor, who took his full quota of seven rides and scorched to a paid 14 points haul in the process.

The loss of reserve Jesper Kristiansen after just one ride was ably covered by Aussie reserve Proctor and his appearance in heats four and eight were major factors in maximum Wolves advantages.

The Hammers had their chances but more often than not were left to overcome their opponents from the back after giving away too much ground at the gate.

The latter half of the meeting saw plenty of racing with Adam Shields and Jonas Davidsson to fore in the passing stakes.

Shields produced a moment of magic in heat 12 to sweep up the inside of both Proctor and Tai Woffinden and prevent a Wolves 5-1 that would have moved them 10 points clear with just three heats to go.

Woffinden had earlier been involved in a thriller of his own, spectacularly passing Hammers number one Lee Richardson in 10.

Richardson took victory from the gate in heat 13 but the Hammers' hope for advantage was wiped out when Joonas Kylmakorpi spun off on the second corner of the first lap to leave the away side six points ahead.

Davidsson again showed sublime form in heat 14 to pass fast-starting Adam Skornicki on the entrance to the final lap. With Phil Morris relegating Proctor to last place, the resulting 4-2 kept the Hammers in the hunt for a draw on the night.

With both sides seeking a 5-1 in the final race - the Hammers for a draw, the Wolves for an extra league point - tension was high as the tapes rose.

It was Richardson who showed first, edging ahead down the backstraight, before the excellent Freddie Lindgren passed him on the pits corner to ensure Wolves took victory and the Hammers' record was ended.

Wolves: Lindgren 12+1, Klindt 4+2, Woffinden 7+1, Skornicki 4, Karlsson 9+1, Kristiansen 0, Proctor 12+2.

Lakeside: Richardson 9+1, Nieminen 5, Shields 10, Davidsson 9+1, Kylmakorpi 4, Morris 4, Robson 1+1.