KING’S Lynn wrapped up their season with a battling effort which saw them go down 49-41 to an in-form Peterborough side.
The MacInnes Stars might have missed out on league points in the final team fixture at the East of England Arena, but they did provide a maximum scorer as Robert Lambert gave a truly sensational display.
Lambert, who had changed his travel arrangements for this weekend’s Danish Grand Prix when the meeting was scheduled at short notice, raced to a six-ride full house, winning his first five rides and then allowing team-mate and former Peterborough rider Michael Palm Toft to take the flag in Heat 15.
The Stars actually started and finished the meeting with 5-1s, as Lambert teamed up with guest Lewis Kerr for maximum points in Heat 1.
And although they conceded a 5-1 in Heat 2, both reserves were highly competitive on the night as exemplified by a brilliant ride by Anders Rowe to win Heat 3 ahead of home stars Benjamin Basso and Chris Harris.
It was all square after Heat 6 when Palm Toft defeated Niels-Kristian Iversen and home guest Richard Lawson, but the home side then recorded two 5-1s in the next three races whilst Iversen took charge of a shared Heat 8.
Lambert then produced a stunning move in Heat 10 to steam his way inside Iversen and Lawson heading into the second lap, and he won again in Heat 11 which initially looked set for a Stars 5-1 until Kerr lost out to Ben Cook and Vadim Tarasenko after plenty of hard riding.
Skipper Simon Lambert suffered mechanical trouble when battling with Jordan Jenkins in Heat 12 as the home side went ten points up, but the Stars grabbed a 4-2 back in Heat 13 as Robert Lambert finished well clear of a three-way fight behind him, Palm Toft splitting Lawson and Tarasenko.
But the Panthers secured the win on an emotional night for their supporters when Cook gated in Heat 14 and Harris rounded Rowe and Connor Mountain on the opening lap, before the Stars pairing gained some consolation in Heat 15 to complete a respectable performance.
Manager David Hoggart said: “It was an excellent meeting, the track was good and although for us it’s a pity that Peterborough won, I suppose you’d want them to win their last league match here.
“I felt we lost a couple of points that we could have gained which would have made it a little bit closer, but I’m not disappointed because we got over 40 points, and congratulations to the Panthers.
“I’ve been working the reserves so hard, both they and their machinery is tired but they did a great job for me tonight, and obviously Robert and his team are class.
“He’s got his family around him, expertise supporting him, and he’s been a breath of fresh air in terms of what he’s brought to us – and he’s brought everyone else on. He’s focused on winning his races but he’s also focused on winning for the team as well, and he’s given us more than we expected.”
SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP R2 PETERBOROUGH 49: Ben Cook 10+2, Benjamin Basso 9+1, Niels-Kristian Iversen 8, Chris Harris 7+1, Vadim Tarasenko 6+2, Jordan Jenkins 5, Richard Lawson 4+2. KING’S LYNN 41: Robert Lambert 17+1, Michael Palm Toft 8, Anders Rowe 7, Lewis Kerr 4+2, Simon Lambert 4, Connor Mountain 1, Emil Breum r/r. Peterborough win the aggregate point
