BELLE VUE’S desperate need for a top spearhead signing was never better illustrated than by the stunning display of world champion Mark Loram, guesting in place of injured skipper Jimmy Nilsen.

He won all his six races in tremendous style, blunting the menace of Coventry stars Greg Hancock and Billy Hamill on his way to Belle Vue’s first maximum of the season.

Even so, his 18-point haul just failed to land an Aces win in yet another meeting where the racing was real value for money, if not the result.

He fired a recovery from 10-2 down after two heats to 28-26 ahead after nine. But the tenth was the turning point when Coventry’s Stuart Robson came through from third on the last lap to deny Belle Vue’s Kaj Laukkanen and Matej Ferjan maximum points.

Loram also showed real world champ style when the Aces held an interval auction to raise £1,000 for former captain Alan Wilkinson, who has been in a wheelchair since crashing more than 20 years ago.

BELLE VUE: M Loram 18 (333333), K Laukkanen 101 bonus (033220), J Lyons 7 (2311), M Ferjan 31 (1110), M Burrows 21 (0110), A Smith 2 (011), W Carter 2 (110).

COVENTRY: G Hancock 103 (22222), B Hamill 91 (30231), A Jonsson 8 (3023), S Robson 71 (1231), B Janniro 61 (32X1), L Richardson 4 (20X2), P Lee 21 (2000).