King’s Lynn Stars v Sheffield Tigers

Report

KING’S Lynn ended their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign on a high with a win and aggregate point over Sheffield in a meeting which culminated in a Super Heat.

The Tigers fought back from 12 points down to level the scores on aggregate with a 4-2 in Heat 15 as Josh Pickering split home duo Jan Kvech and Ben Cook, with Jack Holder up front.

That made the outcome 47-43 to the Stars, matching the result from Owlerton earlier in the season – but whilst Holder won again in the Super Heat, this time Cook and Kvech combined to keep Pickering at the back, giving the extra point to the home side.

Cook kept up his strong form at reserve with 12 points from six rides across the regular 15 heats, whilst Holder scored 14+1 from six for the Tigers, who can still finish top of the table with home and away wins over Ipswich this week.

King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “It was a great way to end the season. We wanted to end on a positive note, and to win the final match and get the aggregate point on a Super Heat is something you couldn’t have scripted, but that’s what we’ve done.

“The team that we’ve had over the last few weeks has been the team we had at the start of the year, and it’s the team that would have done some damage if we’d managed to keep it together.

“The return of Ben was pivotal that and now we’ve won six out of the last seven meetings, and we’ve had a decent season.”

Tigers manager Simon Stead said: “Obviously we’re all disappointed, but the effort from the boys was great.

“It takes a lot of determination and a lot of focus to come back the way that we did towards the end to bring us back into contention.

“The Super Heat probably came down to the toss of a coin in my opinion, and we missed out on that.”

KING’S LYNN 47: Ben Cook 12, Jan Kvech 9+1, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7+1, Chris Harris 7, Richard Lawson 6+1, Nicolai Klindt 5, Luke Harrison 1+1.
SHEFFIELD 43: Jack Holder 14+1, Josh Pickering 9+2, Chris Holder 6, Anders Rowe 5+1, Nick Morris 4, Jye Etheridge 3+1, Leon Flint 2.
Aggregate scores tied – King’s Lynn win the aggregate point after winning a Super Heat 5-4

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Photo credit: DEREK LEADER