SPIRES EDGE OUT STARS
OXFORD raced to a hard-fought 47-43 home win over King’s Lynn – exactly the same scoreline as in their previous two ROWE Motor Oil Premiership victories at Cowley.
The Spires had to come from behind as the Stars led for much of the first half of the meeting, with the hosts only hitting the front for the first time in Heat 10.
A key 5-1 from Erik Riss and Rohan Tungate in Heat 14 made it 44-40, meaning the Stars needed a maximum in the last race to level, but although Tobiasz Musielak took the win, guest Ben Cook was kept at the back by Tungate and Scott Nicholls.
Tungate (13+1) and Nicholls (10+1) led the way for the Spires, with Musielak racking up 15+1 for the visitors who were left frustrated by the disqualification of Niels-Kristian Iversen after a clash with Charles Wright in Heat 12.
Manager Rob Lyon said: “It was a better performance from us after the last outing at Sheffield last week – we were depleted then and we were depleted tonight, but Ben Cook did an admirable job for us and it was a better performance.
“It’s a little bit frustrating that we lost out. I didn’t feel we deserved to lose tonight, I thought we should probably have edged it.
“We often say refereeing decisions can turn a match, and it clearly did that tonight.”
OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARD
Available here
Photo credit: LES AUBREY
