King’s Lynn Stars v Leicester Lions

Report

LEICESTER kept up their impressive run of form with a 54-36 win at King’s Lynn in their return to ROWE Motor Oil Premiership action.

The sides had drawn at the same venue in the KO Cup Final last week before the Lions clinched the silverware at home, but this time they were in dominant form in Norfolk.

Ryan Douglas raced to a 14+1 paid maximum for the visitors, and skipper Max Fricke totalled 14+2 in a fast-gating performance from the team overall, which included a run of three 5-1s and three 4-2s in a six-race mid-meeting spell.

The result consolidated the Lions’ top four place as well as all-but ending the Stars’ faint chances, although Danish star Niels-Kristian Iversen collected a hard-fought 10 points for the home side.

Leicester boss Stewart Dickson said: “Obviously there wasn’t the intensity and atmosphere of the Cup Final last week, but we still had a job to do, and we did it very well.

“All six of our riders performed well and it’s another big result for us especially when you look at the scores elsewhere tonight.

“There was some talk about Tom Brennan guesting last week and us being ‘lucky’ because he scored 12 from five rides; well, on this occasion our own riders scored 10+1 from four rides using rider replacement, so it does show that whether using a guest or r/r, we are a strong side.”

King’s Lynn manager Rob Lyon said: “We tried to beat the weather tonight and we tried really hard to get a good track, but we were comprehensively beaten every which way.

“There was nothing wrong with the track, but obviously the starts were a little different, and as a home team that sometimes messes with your head a bit.

“We discussed things during our team chat of course, and our boys were trying different things to get off the start. It wasn’t as if they were just leaving it, but nothing seemed to work until the end when we managed a couple of wins.”

KING’S LYNN 36: Niels-Kristian Iversen 10, Richard Lawson 8+1, Tobias Thomsen 6+1, Jan Kvech 6, Nicolai Klindt 4, Chris Harris 2, Luke Harrison 0.
LEICESTER 54: Max Fricke 14+2, Ryan Douglas 14+1, Sam Masters 8+2, Kyle Howarth 7+1, Drew Kemp 7+1, Joe Thompson 4+1, Luke Becker r/r.
Leicester win the aggregate point

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Photo credit: DEREK LEADER