KING’S Lynn suffered the frustration of a 47-43 home defeat to local rivals Ipswich in their first home match of the season at the Adrian Flux Arena on Monday.
Despite a stunning showing from Ben Cook as the PSH Environmental Stars fought their way back into the meeting, the Witches had just enough in hand to secure a victory which makes them favourites to progress in the southern section of the KO Cup.
Cook was unbeaten from his first five rides and he required a 5-1 alongside Max Fricke in Heat 15 to salvage a draw, but for once he was squeezed out heading into the first bend meaning Fricke’s race win served as mere consolation.
Stars had been hoping to overturn a 10-point deficit from last Thursday’s trip to Foxhall in order to take the aggregate point, but simply a win on the night became their target after the early stages.
And as in the previous fixture, it was the Witches who proved to be faster from the starts as they quickly opened a six point lead.
Visiting No.1 Tom Brennan held off Fricke to win Heat 1 whilst reserves Jason Edwards and Philip Hellstrom-Bangs just prevailed despite the late charge of Cooper Rushen for a 5-1 in Heat 2.
Stars struck back in fine style in Heat 3 with Cook hitting the front whilst Chris Harris battled with Scott Nicholls and finally rounded his opponent on lap three for a maximum advantage.
Former Lynn man Richard Lawson enjoyed his return as he defeated Jan Kvech in Heat 4 as the Witches extended their lead back to four points, and whilst Cook made it two out of two in the next his partner Harris was left at the back having lost his steel shoe.
Lawson showed his track knowledge to nip inside Fricke on turn two of Heat 6 to head up a shared race, but the visitors grabbed a major result with a 5-1 in Heat 7 as Kvech suffered mechanical trouble and Rushen’s outside blast was denied by Nicholls.
Danny King won Heat 8 with Jody Scott holding a good third place over Edwards, and Stars reduced the gap to four points with a 5-1 in Heat 9 from Cook and Harris after Lawson had been forced on to borrowed machinery.
The momentum appeared to be building Lynn’s way when Fricke got the better of Nicholls on the first lap of Heat 10 whilst Paco Castagna bundled Tobiasz Musielak aside on the back straight, and at that stage it was all to ride for at 29-31.
But King and Brennan regained control with a 5-1 over Heat 11 despite another brave effort by Rushen, who had earlier gone past his slowing team-mate Kvech.
Cook went into Heat 12 as a tactical substitute and duly won the race, but Harris was kept in third place by Musielak, and Stars’ hopes of gaining ground in Heat 13 were thwarted by a fine ride by Brennan to defeat Fricke.
Heat 14 was also shared, once again despite the ever-trying Rushen attempting to split Nicholls and Edwards, so it went to the last race with Lynn needing a 5-1 to draw.
But although Fricke this time made it from gate four, Cook found himself sandwiched between Brennan and King, and the away win was effectively sealed from there.
Team manager Rob Lyon said: “I think it was evident again tonight, as it was at Ipswich early doors, that they were generally so much sharper out of the starts than us, and that was the main difference.
“It was a great performance by Ben and it’s ironic that he didn’t make it in Heat 15 off gate two, because he didn’t really want four although he’d made two great starts off it.
“I knew if anyone could make it off four, which was a bit of a graveyard, Max could, and I thought Ben would make it off two and with the way he was riding a 5-1 would be on the cards.
“He didn’t make it, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. I have to say it’s frustrating, but it’s not the league, and we move on to next week.”
Stars are next in action next Monday (April 20) when they host newcomers Northampton in another KO Cup fixture.
PREMIERSHIP KO CUP (SOUTH) KING’S LYNN 43: Ben Cook 14+1, Max Fricke 12, Chris Harris 6+1, Paco Castagna 4+1, Jan Kvech 3+1, Cooper Rushen 3, Jody Scott 1+1. IPSWICH 47: Tom Brennan 12+1, Danny King 9+2, Scott Nicholls 7+1, Richard Lawson 6, Jason Edwards 5+1, Philip Hellstrom-Bangs 3+1. Ipswich win the aggregate point.
