Premiership Pairs – Round 3 @ King’s Lynn

IPSWICH made it back-to-back Premiership Pairs wins on Thursday to go to the top of the overall standings.

The Witches edged out Sheffield at King’s Lynn, with the Tigers finishing as runners-up for the third time in three events.

Ipswich, represented by Jason Doyle, Danny King and Rising Star Danyon Hume, led the qualifying scores as they finished ahead of the hosts on countback, with Stars duo Josh Pickering and Richard Lawson missing out to Sheffield in the semi-final.

Tigers man Jack Holder won the Final but Doyle and King finished ahead of Adam Ellis to secure victory.

Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “It was a great night, and it was great to win again especially at King’s Lynn and not at our own track.

“I’m delighted with the progress we have made after a poor first round. To take two wins and get back to the top means we are in prime position in the table.

“We got off to a good start in the meeting, so we were in a good position. Danyon came in and did very well, he wasn’t far off being used again because he was that good.

“However, to win the meeting you need to rely on your big riders, and we used the heats to get Danny set up and his last two races were very good, so the plan worked.”

Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “We’ve been so close to winning all three of them so then to find ourselves not at the top of the pile is a little bit frustrating.

“But we worked hard and finished strong and while the lads are feeling the frustration and disappointment too, let’s focus on the positives.”

PREMIERSHIP PAIRS Round 3, King’s Lynn
QUALIFYING SCORES:
IPSWICH 27: Jason Doyle 14, Danny King 10, Danyon Hume (RS) 3.
KING’S LYNN 27: Josh Pickering 17, Richard Lawson 10, Jason Edwards (RS) 0.
SHEFFIELD 23: Jack Holder 14, Adam Ellis 9, Connor Mountain (RS) 0.
PETERBOROUGH 21: Chris Harris 19, Hans Andersen 0, Jordan Jenkins (RS) 2.
BELLE VUE 20: Matej Zagar 12, Max Fricke 6, Tom Brennan (RS) 2.
WOLVERHAMPTON 17: Steve Worrall 10, Sam Masters 5, Leon Flint (RS) 2.

SEMI-FINAL: Holder, Pickering, Ellis, Lawson – [Sheffield beat King’s Lynn 6-3]
GRAND FINAL: Holder, Doyle, King, Ellis – [Ipswich beat Sheffield 5-4]

ROUND 3 RESULT
Ipswich 12, Sheffield 8, King’s Lynn 6, Peterborough 4, Belle Vue 2, Wolverhampton 0.

STANDINGS AFTER ROUND 3
Ipswich 26, Sheffield 24, King’s Lynn 22, Belle Vue 14, Peterborough 6, Wolverhampton 4.

OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARD
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