Belle Vue are 4 league points richer after their strong performances against Wolverhampton on Bank Holiday Monday helped consolidate their top four position with a two-point cushion over Swindon.
The action got under way in a slightly soggy Manchester at midday in which the Rentruck Aces encountered stiff opposition from the Wolves, before they established a very comfortable lead.
And the team were certainly fired up for the return fixture to Monmore Green later that afternoon, said Steve Worrall, after overcoming the challenging conditions to take the crucial league points.
Worrall said: “We always seem to have weather at either one extreme or another when Wolves come to our place. The last Bank Holiday we were baking and this time it was freezing cold!
“But that was merely details and we knew they were coming to upset the apple cart, so to speak, and we knew that, without Dan [Bewley] we’d have to step up our game twofold to get the win.
“Their performance was predictable. There was a lot on the line for both teams so the fact that they fought as hard as they did is no surprise. But we rallied together to pull off the result we needed.”
Things at Monmore Green did not get off to the best start after a huge pile-up in Heat 1 ended the evening for both Rory Schlein and Kyle Howarth who each suffered injuries in the collision.
Worrall did a stupendous job to lay down the bike and avoid further injury to the downed riders, and once the meeting resumed the Rentruck Aces were even more fervent in their efforts to win.
But even despite being down to just 5 men, the Parrys International Wolves were not going down without a fight and managed to pull back the visitors’ 6-point lead and force a last-heat decider.
There was drama after Jacob Thorssell came down while the Rentruck Aces were on a 4-2, enough to draw the meeting, and in the re-run Sam Masters made the gate to conserve a Wolves win.
Worrall continued: “Two meetings in one day is physically and mentally exhausting and the delays made a long day longer, but we of course send our best to Rory [Schlein] and Kyle [Howarth].
“We fought so hard at Monmore Green and we truly believed we could take it all the way and get the win; I think we deserved to. But as you know, we don’t tend to do things the easy way!
“Unfortunately, it came down to a last-heat decider and they were just quicker out of the gate. Still, one point is better than nothing and we need to take what we can if we want to make the play offs.”
The Cool Running Colts return to action this Friday, August 31 against Kent before continuing their National League campaign against the Isle of Wight next Friday, September 7 in Manchester.
Then, the Rentruck Aces return home to the National Speedway Stadium on Monday, September 10 to face off against the Somerset Rebels in one of their most crucial home matches of the year.
Tickets for all home fixtures are now available online at www.bellevueaces.co and at the stadium box office on race night.
