TEAM boss Peter Schroeck wants to see King’s Lynn “fighting for the play-offs again” after rounding off a tough season with a 51-39 defeat to Poole.
The Poultec Stars went toe-to-toe with the SGB Premiership champions and title contenders for 10 heats at the Adrian Flux Arena before Pirates plundered the points late on.
It meant the Dorset club finished top of the pile to get pick of play-off opponents in this year’s shootout, just as the Stars did 12 months ago.
And Schroeck, who has stood in for Dale Allitt in pits this season, believes the never-say-die spirit at King’s Lynn can bring another push for glory in 2020.
“They found their gating gloves late on and it all went pear shaped,” said Schroeck.
“We had a few issues, Bomber (guest Chris Harris) made a good pass but broke his forks and nearly crashed and a few other things went wrong.
“We have to take it on the chin. It was always going to be hard not having Thomas Jorgensen and Michael Palm Toft there, we said that all along.
“To their credit the boys all battled but it wasn’t enough.”
The result saw Stars finish sixth in the final standings, 11 points clear of the bottom but the same distance from the play-offs.
“As much as we all tried it didn’t quite happen this season but I cannot be too unfair because we did well at home,” added Schroeck.
“I can take the last two matches, that was always going to happen being without two of our main riders. That was almost 20 points, our problem was not getting it going away and we have to work on that for next season.”
Schroeck rounded off with a message to the Lynn faithful.
“I would like to thank all of the fans, personally and on behalf of the club," he said.
“They were quite gentle with me, it has been a pleasure to be a part of and hopefully we can be back next year fighting for the play-offs again which is what the people of King’s Lynn deserve.”
HEAT BY HEAT
Erik Riss was sent out as an early rider replacement only to hit the tapes yet still pocketed a point from a 15-metre handicap to back up Lambert’s chequered flag following Nico Covatti’s retirement.
Lewis Kerr, Riss and Craig Cook followed that with heat wins but the Stars were only able to establish a four-point lead as the Pirates packed the minor places during the opening exchanges, home guest Chris Harris getting the better of Nicolai Klindt in heat three to double the cushion.
Kurtz finally bagged Poole’s first win in the fifth leading home Covatti to level but Lambert’s triumph and a third for rider replacement Kerr nudged the hosts back in front.
A switch of reserves in the seventh and eighth backfired with Cook leading a 3-3 before Kerr, in for Josh MacDonald, brought up the rear to hand a maximum to Ricky Wells and Covatti that put Pirates in front for the first time.
Wells came in for ex-Star Tomas H Jonasson in the ninth but finished last, Riss and Harris pocketing the 4-2 that levelled the meeting once more.
Lambert’s hat-trick was brought up in heat 10 but persistent visitors Josh Grajczonek and Klindt kept Kerr at the back.
It was from there that Poole truly established a stranglehold with Kurtz and Covatti scooping a second 5-1 as Cook retired, while Riss could only split Klindt and Jonasson as MacDonald hit the deck in the 12th.
More ground was lost in the clash of the big hitters with Kurtz claiming a treble of his own and Jack Holder getting the better of Cook at the back.
It was all over with a race to spare, despite Riss winning Harris retired to round off a tough night for Ipswich charger and Holder and Klindt added gloss to the score to finish.
STARS 39: Erik Riss 13, Robert Lambert 11, Craig Cook 6, Lewis Kerr 5, Chris Harris 4, Josh MacDonald 0, Thomas Jorgensen r/r.
POOLE 51: Brady Kurtz 11, Jack Holder 10, Josh Grajczonek 8, Nicolai Klindt 7+3, Ricky Wells 7+2, Nico Covatti 6+3, Tomas H Jonasson 2+1.
