Edinburgh Monarchs skipper Sam Masters (pictured) scored a paid maximum to lead Wolverhampton to four away points with a 49-41 victory at Ipswich in the SGB Premiership.
Masters accumulated 14 points and one bonus point and Wolves skipper Rory Schlein, a former Moanrchs star, scored ten points and a bonus combined for 5-1s in both Heats 13 and 15 to secure a tight encounter in Wolves’ favour and inflict a seventh successive defeat on the Witches.
Danny King (13 points) had given the home side the chance of a draw when he won Heat 14 as a tactical substitute, but with No1 Jason Crump, a former world champipn, short of match fitness their disappointing run at Foxhall continued.
Schlein said: “It’s great to see some fight from the boys, we all dug deep and it was a good result for us.
“I was pleased with my own performance, but it was all about the team and we’re really pleased with the result.”
Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “Jason struggled more than he thought he was going to with his fitness, but we had too many other riders not performing.
“We need to start getting more consistency individually and as a team. We can’t keep carrying two or three people having off-nights as it is different guys on different nights, the league is too strong and too solid to do that.”
Meanwhile, Birmingham Brummies will resume their 2021 season next week with the second leg of their Knockout Cup tie against Redcar at Perry Barr on Wednesday, July 7.
Talks are on-going with Birmingham City Council and Perry Barr Stadium management regarding potential walk-up admissions, supporters are strongly advised and urged to purchase their tickets in advance.
Co-promoter David Mason said: “We are desperate to get things back up and running at the very first available opportunity.
“It goes without saying it’s still a far from ideal situation but we can assure supporters we are doing everything within our power to try and make sure we can crack on with the season.
“We said we wanted to be back at the start of July if other outside factors allowed, and whilst we wish we had a clear-cut decision regarding walk-up admissions, we need to try and get things going again.
“We can’t stress enough though how we need every single person’s support and backing because this really is a testing time for us.”
Experienced news, business, arts, sport and travel journalist. Food critic and managing editor of a well-established food and travel website. Also a magazine editor of publications with circulations of up to 200,000 and managing director of a long-established PR/marketing company with a string of blue-chip clients in its CV. Former communications lecturer at a Scottish university and social media specialist for a string of successful and busy SMEs.
