BELLE Vue boss Ian Thomas missed his customary pre-match nap after being invited to a barbecue party by a coachload of travelling fans, writes RICHARD FROST.

And the Fonestyle UK Aces kept the party mood going with a brilliant win which extended their lead at the top of the Elite League to four points and boosted their bubbling confidence for three more major matches this week.

They have won their four home matches and three out of five away to take 17 points so far from a hectic July schedule which continues at Wolverhampton tonight before home and away matches with Swindon on Wednesday and Thursday in the Knockout Cup semi-final.

Said Thomas: "I always arrive early at away matches so I can have a sleep ahead of the drive home. But the supporters invited me to their barbecue when I got there so I joined them and very good it was, too.

"The lads have been in great form but they had to dig deep for this win. We were six points down after two races and it was heat 12 before we took the lead but they never gave in. It was a solid, all-round team performance.

"The riders were delighted to pull out the victory and so was I because it was the first time I'd won a match at Ipswich in 35 years as a promoter and team manager."

Joe Screen and Jason Lyons pulled the Aces right back into the match when they were first and second in heat seven and Screen was the architect of them taking a 38-34 lead in heat 12 when he led Simon Stead to maximum points.

The Aces go to injury-hit Wolverhampton tonight virtually assured of the aggregate bonus point after taking a 20-point advantage in the home match last Wednesday.

Wolves call in Swindon's Charlie Gjedde, a track specialist, in place of the injured Mikael Max, and James Grieves rides at reserve in place of Magnus Karlsson. The Aces are back to full strength with Rusty Harrison returning in place of Richard Juul, who guested at Ipswich.

CARL Stonehewer, the Denton-based former Belle Vue star, is facing a skin graft operation on an arm after crashing at Workington on Saturday.

Stonehewer received burns and severe damage when his arm was caught by a spinning wheel.

IPSWICH: C Louis 11+1 bonus, H Andersen 10+1, R Miskowiak 6, D King 6, P Protasiewicz 5, K Jansson 4, K Doolan 1

BELLE VUE: J Crump 13, J Screen 9+1, S Stead 8+1, A Smith 6+1, K Bjerre 6, J Lyons 5+2, R Juul 0.

Tonight's teams: WOLVES: C Gjedde, R Correy, S Johnston, D Howe, F Lindgren, J Grieves, K Pecyna. BELLE VUE: K Bjerre, A Smith, J Screen, J Lyons, J Crump, R Harrison, S Stead.

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