Borough's speedway aces surprise home defeat last night (Wednesday)

The visitors picked up three points to return to the top of the table, but Lakeside, who visit Ipswich tonight, stay fifth and just outside the play-offs.

The meeting got off to a controversial start with the referee twice ruling that unsatisfactory starts had been caused by visiting riders.

On the second offence, Nicolai Klindt was excluded for the visitors and was replaced by Australian Ty Proctor who relegated Lee Richardson, skippering Hammers on the night, into last place as Fredrik Lindgren took victory.

Wolves’ 4-2 opener paved the way for the visitors to still be two ahead at 7-5 after a 3-3 in the second. But the home pairing of Adam Shields and Jonas Davidsson saw the hosts to a 5-1 in heat three to finally see his side into 10-8 lead.

But a 5-1 for Wolves in the fourth saw them 13-11 ahead with Proctor again enjoying a star role. That combination of Davidsson, who won this time, and Shields saw the Arena-Essex Raceway club to a 4-2 to level at 15-all a third of the way through.

Debut man Jesper Kristiansen crashed in heat six for Wolves to end his evening, letting Proctor in for another ride in the re-run.

Richardson won to gain his first points, but Hammers could only manage a 3-3 to keep the meeting at level pegging. Joonas Kylmakorpi won the seventh, but it was another 3-3 for a 21-21 cliffhanger.

Proctor led Wolves to a 5-1 to make it 26-22 at eight. In the ninth Kristiansen’s injury led to Wolves having only one rider and Shields spearheaded a 4-2 to reduce the visitors’ lead to two points.

Richardson and Kauko Nieminen could only manage a 3-3 to stay two behind with 18-year-old Tai Woffinden winning.

A retirement from Kylmakorpi saw Wolves take a 5-1 to move six ahead. Shields and Richardson had wins to brighten Hammers fans but both were only 3-3s.

Davidsson led a 4-2 in the penultimate heat to reduce the deficit to four, but it was too little as Wolves won the last race 4-2.