Lady Luck teamed up with Mother Nature to inflict a cruel dose of misfortune on the Victor Chandler Bees at Monmore Green last night.

Bees had levered themselves into a position to end their recent losing sequence - and were poised to reignite their title bid with a much-needed derby win.

But instead of being back on track, Bees are back at the drawing board after a torrential thunderstorm washed out the meeting after 11 completed races - one short of the minimum requirement for the result to stand.

Whatever the outcome of heat 12, Bees would still have been in front, but Workington referee Stuart Wilson called a halt when a heavy downpour broke over the stadium.

There had already been a 15-minute stoppage for some passing storm clouds after heat seven, and though Bees were unhappy with the abandonment, Wilson was left with no alternative as it continued raining long after the terraces had cleared.

Coventry boss Colin Pratt felt Wolves had been dragging their feet once the rain arrived, but the fact that Bees reserve Ryan Fisher had three races on the trot between heats nine and 11 also contributed to the meeting failing to run to

12 races. ?When your luck?s out, it really is out,? said Pratt.

It means Bees are still under pressure going into Saturday?s home meeting with bottom dogs Belle Vue, though they can draw plenty of inspiration from a night that yielded far more pluses than minuses.

Skipper Billy Hamill returned from the States with a vengeance, Andreas Jonsson was in prime form and unbeaten by a Wolves rider in four outings, and both Billy Janniro and Ryan Fisher made telling contributions.

Hamill beat Mikael Max in heat one, despite showing visible concern for the health of the engine, but Bees fell behind to a 5-1 in heat two, Fisher tailing off after a brief challenge on Chris Neath.

David Howe, newly promoted to heat-leader status, claimed the scalp of Hamill in three and Simon Stead just nicked third place off Jason Bunyan on the line in four to maintain Wolverhampton?s four point advantage.

But Bees turned the contest in their favour when Adam Skornicki reared up on the first two turns of heat five, collecting Hamill in the process and having to then withdraw from the meeting. The Pole later took an ambulance ride to hospital for a precautionary brain scan after suffering some delayed concussion.

Hamill overturned the earlier defeat by Howe to win the re-run, and Bees then went in front with a shock 5-1 from Jonsson and Fisher in heat six, the latter holding Sam Ermolenko off as Max ran an unresponsive and rare last place.

When Janniro and Jonsson repeated the feat over Peter Karlsson and Neath in seven, Bees were buzzing - but then came the rain.

The resumption after the delay saw Wolves claw back a 5-1 in eight, Stuart Robson coming down on the wet surface after losing ground on Ermolenko and Stead, but Bees responded with another maximum in nine, Fisher and Jonsson this time combining to see off Howe and Neath.

The two teams traded 4-2s in 10 and 11, Karlsson coming past an annoyed Fisher to prevent another 5-1 in 11, but that proved the final action of the night, leaving Wolverhampton a fortuitous second chance, and frustrated Bees bemoaning a night of rough justice.