KING’S LYNN again went agonisingly close to a win at one of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership’s strongest home teams - but finished on the wrong end of a 48-42 scoreline at champions Belle Vue.
It was a very similar story to that at Sheffield last Thursday where the PSH Environmental Stars had battled superbly well to be in front with just three races to go.
But again they conceded 5-1s in both Heats 13 and 15 as they let it slip at the death.
This was an even more admirable effort in some ways though with the Norfolk outfit dealt a big blow in the build-up with trump card reserve Jan Kvech ruled out with a dislocated shoulder sustained in Saturday’s FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland.
But the Stars refused to let that affect them early on and shot into a six point lead with two 5-1s in the opening three races.
Heat 1 saw Niels-Kristian Iversen and Richard Lawson outgate their rivals and they opened up such a gap that not even the Aces’ Grand Prix star No.1 Dan Bewley had any response.
The hosts then scored a 4-2 in the battle of the reserves before Chris Harris, who was racing on his second bike following damage caused by an air filter fire in the warm-up, and Ben Cook, on his first meeting back from injury, team rode superbly to keep Jaimon Lidsey at bay.
Belle Vue then managed to move back within two following successive 4-2s before a remarkable run of seven straight shared races, with some thrilling action throughout, set up another tense finale.
Skipper Nicolai Klindt gave home captain Brady Kurtz plenty to think about in the early stages of Heat 13 but just couldn’t live with the power generated by the man who is currently pushing Bartosz Zmarzlik towards the top of the World Championship standings as the Aces claimed their first 5-1 of the night to move in front for the first time.
Whilst guest reserve Anders Rowe had worked overtime in Heat 12 to pass Belle Vue’s Jake Mulford on the line for third, team manager Rob Lyon stuck with interim Rising Star Luke Harrison in the penultimate race after a really positive ride in Heat Eight had saw him finish ahead of German middle-order man Norick Blodorn.
And on the opening lap, it looked as though Lyon’s faith in the teenager could be rewarded as he gated alongside Ben Cook on a 5-1.
But Harrison was eventually reeled in by Belle Vue’s duo and an eighth 3-3 meant the Stars went into the last heat decider two points down.
The hosts had choice of gate positions and again, Grand Prix duo Kurtz and Bewley flew away from the starts and Ben Cook and Klindt had no reply.
Whilst the Stars were again left wondering what could’ve been, boss Lyon was keen to focus on the positives after his side again forced another team to claim a last heat decider to maintain their 100 per cent home league record.
“I’m proud of the boys again,” Lyon said.
“They really put it to Belle Vue but as at Sheffield, it wasn’t quite enough.
“Those two heats, 13 and 15, they really damage us.
“Top riders in both of those teams are very difficult to deal with, but fair play to Belle Vue, they just about had enough in the tank at the end.
“Mark (Lemon - Belle Vue team manager) just said: ‘you probably didn’t deserve that’ - but that’s speedway and that’s the way it goes.”
King’s Lynn are back on the road again next Monday (June 30, 7.30pm) where they’ll be targeting all three points on offer against the league’s basement side Birmingham.
BELLE VUE 48: Brady Kurtz 14+1, Dan Bewley 11+1, Jaimon Lidsey 9, Jake Mulford 5, Zach Cook 4+1, Tate Zischke 4+1, Norick Blodorn 1. KING’S LYNN 42: Ben Cook 10+1, Niels-Kristian Iversen 9, Nicolai Klindt 8, Chris Harris 7+2, Anders Rowe 4+2, Richard Lawson 3+2, Luke Harrison 1+1.
