STARS SLAM SPIRES

KING’S Lynn recorded the second-biggest score in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership this season with a 63-27 thumping of Oxford at the Adrian Flux Arena.

Chris Harris raced to a 15-point maximum for the rampant Stars, with Richard Lawson (10+3) only denied a full house of his own when he dropped a point to Maciej Janowski in Heat 15.

All of the home side’s top six were paid for at least nine points in a thoroughly convincing display which saw them win all but one race and record six 5-1s and six 4-2s.

The Spires’ sole success came from Janowski in Heat 6, both he and Peter Kildemand scoring eight points on a night where No.1 Charles Wright was a late absentee and Rohan Tungate took only two rides due to mechanical issues.

King’s Lynn manager Rob Lyon said: “I think it was a combination of us being very good and they were battered, bruised and depleted.

“But I’ve been saying all along that we picked this team for a reason, and whilst I’m sure with all due respect we will come across some stiffer opposition in our remaining matches, I think we’ve proved that in the times when we have had a full team, we can do some damage.

“It’s a solid team, and that makes a massive difference. But you can’t legislate for injury, all teams suffer from it from time to time, that’s the way it goes.”

Spires boss Peter Schroeck said: “It’s not been our day. Neither Rohan or his mechanic could get his bikes working and it unsettled our whole side of the pits, especially since we were already using rider replacement for Charles. We lost the points from two of our big hitters and you can’t compensate for that.

“I didn’t expect to win here, but I did expect to score more points. But we weren’t in the best shape to take on a King’s Lynn side who are very strong around this track.”

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Photo credit: DEREK LEADER