King's Lynn Stars surrender 12-point lead against Poole Pirates in Premiership Supporters' Cup
Premiership Supporters Cup
King’s Lynn Stars 41 Poole Pirates 49
Depleted Lynn lost a 12-point lead as Poole stole victory tonight (Monday, May 20).
Lynn, already missing Lewis Kerr, then lost heat leader Erik Riss to injury in Heat 10.
The Poultec Stars were seeking their first league home win of the season and came off the back of three successive away defeats.
Lynn also had to familiarise themselves with the Adrian Flux Arena as they were last at home on April 29.
They also needed to reshuffle and operate rider replacement after Norfolk racer Kerr was a late call-off due to unforeseen family circumstances.
The Dersingham rider Tweeted: "Wishing the boys luck tonight against Poole. Unfortunately I will not be racing as my little girl is very poorly in hospital, hopefully she will start picking up. Family comes first."
The Poultec Stars had a further worry in Heat 10 when heat leader Riss smashed into the lap one, bend three fence, and after a couple of minutes' treatment the German was swiftly withdrawn from the meeting with a suspected broken left collarbone.
Poole took advantage with a 5-1 to put the pressure on and in Heat 12 r/r Andersen was excluded for a tapes offence and went off a 15m penalty in a Pirates 2-4.
Holder and captain Josh Grajczonek tied matters with a Heat 13 1-5, at 39-39.
The ‘never say die’ visitors again found the gate in the final two outings to complete successive 5-1’s and victory over shellshocked Lynn.
Things couldn’t have started any worse for Lynn as Riss went through the tapes and was excluded but his replacement Michael Palm Toft backed up in third spot behind home skipper and heat winner Robert Lambert in an opening 4-2.
The busy Palm Toft won Heat 2 and then in the next race Brady Kurtz was Poole’s first heat winner to make it 10-8 in the hosts' favour.
Palm Toft took Heat 4 and was the Heat 5 rider replacement, following home Danish compatriot Thomas Jorgensen in the first 5-1 of the night to open an eight-point lead.
The Lambert and Riss show made it two maximums in a row but immediately the Pirates shrugged off a warning at the tapes to Kurtz to post their first maximum, via Kurtz and Grajczonek.
Lambert was fresh from a semi-final spot and eight points from the opening Grand Prix of the season in Poland. Lambert in Warsaw replaced USA legend Greg Hancock who is taking a break from racing to care for his wife who is suffering from breast cancer.
King’s Lynn Stars: Robert Lambert (capt) 12, Erik Riss 6+2 (withdrawn), Ty Proctor 2, Lewis Kerr R/R, Thomas Jorgensen 7, Michael Palm Toft 13+1, Kasper Andersen 1. Fastest time: Heat 3, Palm Toft, 58.36secs.
Poole Pirates: Jack Holder 12, Richie Worrall 2+1, Nicolai Klindt 8, Josh Grajczonek (capt) 7+4, Brady Kurtz 13+1, Nico Covatti 4+1, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen 3+1.
