BELLE VUE were left with a perilous grip on the Knockout Cup after being held by Coventry in the first leg of the final last night.
They go to Coventry for the return on Friday needing their best away performance of the season if they are to retain the trophy. They trailed for the whole match as they were constantly outgated by the fast starting visitors and only grabbed a draw when world champion Jason Crump won the final race.
Their problems for the return were increased as their Danish riders Kenneth Bjerre and Tom P Madson picked up injuries.
Bjerre completed the meeting but was hobbling after damaging a foot in heat nine while Madson looks the bigger doubt.
He was forced to withdraw from the match after a double crash in heat eight.
He hurt his back and required lengthy treatment when falling on the first bend and then suffered knee ligament damage when he fell in the rerun after his chain snapped and was hurled into the safety fence.
Disappointed
Ian Thomas, boss of the Fonestyle UK Aces, said: "I'm very disappointed at this result because I know we could have done much better.
"Now we have a mountain to climb in the second leg but we must not forget that we put up a good performance at Coventry last Friday."
The Aces made the worst possible start with Coventry taking maximum points in the first race. Great Britain captain Scott Nicholls and Billy Janniro pegged Simon Stead back into third place.
It was the worst possible start but reserves Madson and Phil Morris took full points in the second race to make the score all-square.
But Coventry had another maximum in the third to take a lead which they held until the last race.
Crump dropped only one point in five rides to Nicholls in heat 11 but he lacked sufficient support from his fellow big hitters Stead and Bjerre.
Belle Vue: J Crump 14, S Stead 9, K Bjerre 9, P Morris 7, J Wright 3, T P Madson 3.
Coventry: S Nicholls 13, R Schlein 8, M Smolinski 8, C Harris 7, B Janniro 4, E Cramer 3, O Allen 2.
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