TEAM boss Alex Brady lauded King’s Lynn’s perfect response to social media sledging by thumping Ipswich 56-34 to reach the Premiership League Cup final.
Captain Josh Pickering led the way with a five-ride paid maximum as the Minors & Brady Stars bagged the win they knew would be enough to qualify for the showpiece with a meeting to spare in the group stages.
For Brady, it was the perfect response to pre-season predictions that his side would endure a tough campaign.
“The first couple of heats were nip and tuck but then we took control and it was a great night,” he said.
“There have been a lot of words on social media from certain individuals and I think they were swallowed tonight. It was very pleasing.
“The boys did their talking on the track and it was brilliant. It is on to Thursday now where we will be giving everything to get a good result, take this good start into the league while looking forward to a cup final.”
The best of Pickering’s barnstorming rides came in heat nine where he found himself behind 2017 world champion Jason Doyle only to blast through and get the Adrian Flux Arena rocking.
“Doyley is a world-class rider and won the world championship for that reason,” said the skipper.
“He is a hero of mine so to be able to race and compete with him, he is definitely someone who inspires me and someone to look up to so to beat him three times on the trot is a dream come true.”
The victory made it three out of three this season and it was another meeting which showcased King’s Lynn’s stellar turnaround from last term.
A depleted Ipswich side initially kept things tight and were still level after Heat 4 thanks to race wins for Jason Doyle and Danny King.
Pickering changed all that with a tremendous ride in Heat 5 up against Doyle and Troy Batchelor to join Lewis Kerr for a 5-1.
Thomas Jorgensen and Jack Thomas put the Stars eight up with a 5-1 in Heat 8, and Pickering then got the better of Doyle in a thrilling ninth.
Stars were well in the ascendancy with Thomas Jorgensen cruising to his second win of the night in Heat 10, whilst Pickering made it four unbeaten when he defeated Batchelor in the 12th.
The final place was confirmed in Heat 13 when Niels-Kristian Iversen and Richard Lawson raced to a 5-1 over Doyle and King, Lawson repassing the Witches talisman.
Another 5-1 followed from Kerr and Richie Worrall in Heat 14 before Pickering deservedly completed his full house against Doyle and Batchelor in the last race.
The Stars will face either Sheffield or Wolverhampton in the final.
KING’S LYNN 56: Josh Pickering 14+1,Richie Worrall 8+2, Lewis Kerr 8, Thomas Jorgensen 8, Richard Lawson 7+2, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7+1, Jack Thomas 4+2. IPSWICH 34: Jason Doyle 11, Troy Batchelor 10+1, Danny King 7, Anders Rowe 4, Kasper Andersen 1+1, Danyon Hume 1, Tero Aarnio 0, Erik Riss r/r.
