KING’S Lynn’s dream start to the season continued with a 46-44 win at local rivals Ipswich in their final League Cup group fixture.

Once again the Minors & Brady Stars came out on top in a last-heat decider, this time with Richie Worrall and Niels-Kristian Iversen securing the 3-3 they needed from the final race ahead of home captain Danny King.

Lynn were already through to the Final prior to the Foxhall clash, but another victory sends them into their league opener at Wolverhampton on Monday in great heart.

Former Stars racer Erik Riss returned from injury and was very much a thorn in his old club’s side, twice combining with Jason Doyle for 5-1s to Ipswich.

The first of those in Heat 1 was immediately cancelled out by Stars reserves Worrall and Jack Thomas in Heat 2 – who both enjoyed excellent displays - whilst the second Doyle/Riss maximum served to wipe out a four-point lead Lynn had established when Thomas Jorgensen and Iversen got the better of Troy Batchelor as they used the inside to good effect in Heat 6.

Two shared heats followed with Riss and King maintaining an unbeaten run for the home side, but the Stars were able to exploit the Witches’ pairing of Batchelor and Cameron Heeps, and they did so again in Heat 9.

This time it was Worrall and skipper Josh Pickering who raced to a 5-1, but the advantage was trimmed in the next when Richard Lawson came to grief as he tried to pass Riss.

The Witches grabbed a 4-2 in the re-run with Lewis Kerr taking second spot from Riss, and a further 4-2 in Heat 11 as Jorgensen was frustrated by Ipswich reserve Danyon Hume left matters all square with four races to go.

Worrall’s third win of the meeting in Heat 12 helped the Stars edge back ahead, and they received a bonus in Heat 13 when Doyle broke the tapes and was penalised 15 metres.

Iversen overhauled a faster-starting King for the win but a fired-up Doyle retrieved third place from Pickering leaving the visitors still just two ahead.

They were held to a 3-3 in Heat 14 although it could have been worse as both Thomas and Kerr had to fight their way past Hume for a share, as Batchelor took the win.

It was still a tough ask for Heat 15 but Worrall and Iversen proved up to the job as although Doyle took the win, the Stars duo packed in for the match-winning second and third places.

Boss Alex Brady said: “All four of our meetings have gone to last heat deciders which has been entertaining, not great for my heart rate, but the boys are a dream to work with.

“They get on with their jobs, they’re professional, nobody loses their heads, and everybody just knows their jobs and they do it.

“Even tonight, with Josh having a quiet night by his standards and Richard as well, others picked up the slack, and again it’s what we were missing from last season. It’s such a good feeling to know you can rely on your team.

“It was a phenomenal performance from the reserves, and it was crucial to us when we built this team, we wanted to have strong reserves.

“I’ve said all along that I believe Richie is the strongest reserve in the league, and on tonight’s performance Jack isn’t too far behind him, so it’s really pleasing, and it’s nice to have that flexibility.

“Although they didn’t come in for any extra rides apart from Richie in Heat 15, they’re ready, and I’ll have no hesitation in throwing them in, which for a team manager is a nice position to be in.”

IPSWICH 44: Jason Doyle 13+1, Danny King 11, Erik Riss 8+2, Troy Batchelor 8, Cameron Heeps 2, Danyon Hume 1, James Shanes 1.
KING’S LYNN 46: Richie Worrall 11, Niels-Kristian Iversen 8+2, Jack Thomas 7+2, Lewis Kerr 7+1, Thomas Jorgensen 6, Josh Pickering 4+2, Richard Lawson 3+2.