COVENTRY again narrowly missed out on Elite League points as they were beaten 51-41 at Wolverhampton on Monday.
In an entertaining local derby, skipper Chris Harris led the Buildbase Bees superbly and received strong backing from the all-action Jason Garrity as the visitors went into the final three races just two points adrift.
But the home side finished strongly with a 5-1 and two 4-2s to leave the Bees still looking to add to their tally of just one point on the road so far in 2016.
Harris won his first three rides whilst Garrity pulled off one of the laps of the season to force his way into second place in Heat 10, and Kacper Woryna’s victory over Monmore master Peter Karlsson was also a highlight.
As has been the case in recent weeks, Bees found themselves coming from a deficit as they trailed by six points after Heat 4, although it could have been so much better.
Krzysztof Kasprzak snatched second place on the line from Kyle Howarth to prevent a Wolves 5-1 in the opener, but Adam Roynon lost out to Max Clegg for third place in Heat 2 as the home side went four points up.
Harris got the better of Sam Masters on the inside after a lap and a half of pressure in Heat 3 with Danny King seeing off Joonas Kylmakorpi for third, whilst the next race saw Woryna and James Sarjeant hit the front only for home track knowledge to play a vital role in Jacob Thorssell and then Karlsson making their way through for a 5-1.
Garrity took the flag in Heat 5 with Roynon this time defeating Clegg as Bees narrowed the gap to four, but Kasprzak was frustrated in the next by a flying start from Masters alongside him, although Harris from gate three still dominated the race.
A Wolves 5-1 in Heat 7 doubled their advantage, and that became ten points in Heat 8 with Thorssell moving past Garrity on the third lap although the Coventry man did become the first visitor to defeat Karlsson.
Bees unsurprisingly elected to delay the tactical ride but Woryna produced a stunning effort in Heat 9 to lead Karlsson and then refused to be beaten when the Swede passed him on the inside, the young Pole surging back around the outside to take a deserved win.
Garrity took the double-points outing in Heat 10 but that looked set for disaster when he held third place, chasing Masters, only to drop to the back at the end of the third lap with team-mate Kasprzak well clear.
But Garrity then rounded Kylmakorpi on turns one and two before driving strongly inside Masters off the final bend to take a doubled-up second place for a Bees 7-1.
The scores could have been levelled in Heat 11 as Harris and King shot from the gate, but Lindgren split them with another forceful move on turn four, King maintaining enough momentum to hold Howarth at bay.
The two-point gap was maintained in Heat 12 as the Bees reserves packed in behind Karlsson, but a classy ride from Lindgren in the next saw him despatch Kasprzak on turn one and then round Harris off the second bend, his earlier move enabling Kylmakorpi to take third spot.
And with Bees needing a fast start to Heat 14, that was exactly what they didn’t get as Masters and Thorssell team-rode their way to maximum points over King, who rode every line possible to try to find a way through.
That sealed victory on the night with Bees needing an advantage from the last race to snatch a league point – but Garrity, after making a good start from the outside, was just unable to get across Lindgren between turns one and two leaving the Wolves No.1 clear of Harris, with Garrity eventually missing out to Thorssell in the race for third.
Bees boss Gary Havelock said: “It’s just frustrating, because we talked about the importance of getting off to a good start, and we keep giving everyone a start in the first half of the meeting and then coming back.
“Wolves were the better team on the night so congratulations to them, and one thing we need to do is get some away wins and the sooner the better.
“There’s so much effort from so many riders, I felt Danny King rode his socks off for four points, and it’s just disappointing how it slipped away.â€
ELITE LEAGUE WOLVERHAMPTON 51: Freddie Lindgren 13+1, Jacob Thorssell 12, Peter Karlsson 11+1, Sam Masters 5+2, Joonas Klymakorpi 5, Kyle Howarth 4+1, Max Clegg 1. COVENTRY 41: Chris Harris 13, Jason Garrity 9+1, Krzysztof Kasprzak 5, Danny King 4, Kacper Woryna 4, James Sarjeant 3+1,Adam Roynon 3.
