KING’S Lynn gave their best performance of the season so far to defeat Peterborough 54-36 in Thursday’s A47 derby at the Adrian Flux Arena.
The MacInnes Stars scored right down the order against a Panthers side who were held together by guest Richard Lawson, and a comfortable win was the outcome to leave confidence high ahead of the return Sports Insure Premiership fixture on Monday.
Boss Alex Brady had called for five league points from the two meetings, and whilst Peterborough will obviously be a different proposition on their home circuit, this was the perfect start to the schedule and certainly leaves his side well placed for the aggregate point at least.
The Stars were fired up from the outset and they quickly took control of the meeting, after Lawson came through to win the opening race.
Guest Lewis Kerr, standing in for skipper Josh Pickering, headed up a 4-2 in Heat 2 before two big maximums for the home side.
Krzysztof Kasprzak and Frederik Jakobsen raced clear of Hans Andersen for a 5-1 in Heat 3 and it was a similar story in the next race from Michael Palm Toft and Kerr, who held firm against an elbow going into the first bend from Ben Cook.
Lawson won a shared Heat 5 for the Panthers with Jakobsen just holding off the threat of Benjamin Basso for third place, but the Stars were quickly back into their stride as Nicolai Klindt and Thomas Jorgensen made light work of ex-Lynn man Niels-Kristian Iversen in Heat 6.
And then they made the most of a stroke of fortune in Heat 7 with Basso gating for the Panthers but coming to grief on turn two, before Kerr and Palm Toft grabbed their second 5-1 as a pairing in the re-run.
Jorgensen rode a stormer in Heat 8 to go inside Basso at the end of the third lap, before the visitors gained some respite with a 4-2 in Heat 9 when Kasprzak’s mechanical trouble allowed Iversen to take third place.
Klindt and Jorgensen returned with a 4-2 in Heat 10, split by Cook, before the Panthers picked up a consolation 5-1 in the next through Lawson and Basso, who held Palm Toft at bay.
Kerr enjoyed his fourth unbeaten ride out of five as he won Heat 12 with Jakobsen completing a 4-2, but another Panthers 5-1 in Heat 13 saw them cut the gap again with Lawson looking unstoppable and Iversen making a good start.
Heat 14 was shared with Kasprzak holding off Cook for the win, and the Pole was at it again in Heat 15 as he combined with Jorgensen for a big 5-1 to end Lawson’s hopes of a maximum and take the Stars 18 points clear with that aggregate point in mind.
Brady said: “It felt good from the moment we arrived tonight. The track was absolutely spot-on so credit to Luke and Dean and the track staff, it was exactly how we wanted it and I think it showed in how we performed.
“What I asked from the boys was to show a bit of aggression, and our problem this season has been being ten points down after the first four heats – as opposed to tonight being ten points up!
“I asked for a fast start to make sure we were in the lead at the first track grading, and they did just that.
“Obviously Peterborough came stronger in the second half of the meeting, but we dealt with them comfortably, and I’m really looking forward to Monday night now!”
The Stars will check on the fitness of Pickering, who is due to practice and race in Poland this weekend, ahead of the return trip to the East of England Arena
SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP R1 KING’S LYNN 54: Lewis Kerr 11+1, Krzysztof Kasprzak 11, Thomas Jorgensen 10+2, Nicolai Klindt 7+1, Michael Palm Toft 7+1, Frederik Jakobsen 6+2, Jason Edwards 2. PETERBOROUGH 36: Richard Lawson 14+1, Ben Cook 9, Benjamin Basso 5+1, Niels-Kristian Iversen 5, Hans Andersen 2, Sam Hagon 1+1, Richie Worrall r/r.
