King's Lynn boss backs Australian to 'bounce back' from mid-season dip

King’s Lynn Stars team manager Alex Brady is sure skipper Josh Pickering will “bounce back” from a mid-season dip in form.

The fifth-spot Minors and Brady Stars host Wolverhampton Wolves, the team above them in the league standings, tomorrow night

The Australian flew out of the early-season gates on his arrival at the Adrian Flux Arena, reaching double figure-plus scores during his first three meetings for Lynn.

The New South Welshman had another purple patch in the first half of July but since then the Heddon Greta-born rider’s tallies have mainly dipped.

However, Pickering appeared rejuvenated at his former club Sheffield last Thursday, top-scoring with 13+1 points in South Yorkshire.

Boss Brady said of the 25 year-old: “It’s not for the lack of trying. He’s working as hard as, if not harder than, he ever has. Perhaps he’s over-riding, somewhat.

“He had a nasty spill at Ipswich (August 11) and I don’t think he’s ever admitted that he’s not feeling 100 per cent.

“I think that might have a small bearing on what’s going on. If there is one person I can back to turn things around, it’ll be him. He’s got pure desire and he is desperate to do well and I am sure he will turn it around.

“He is as disappointed as anybody with the way it’s gone and if anyone is going to bounce back strongly, it’s going to be him.”

Brady commented on Norfolk-born Rising Star reserve Jack Thomas, who recently said he would stand down from the one-to-seven line-up after struggling to recover from two broken wrists sustained at home to Ipswich in June: “When you’ve been off the bike for two months, that’s crucial.

“Time on the bike is crucial. Fitness is crucial. He’s just a shade off it at the moment.

“Match fitness and race fitness, whatever you want to call it, is key.”

Brady added: “Wolverhampton are a team and club who are an excellent blueprint for anyone in this league, and they are consistently in and around the play-offs.”

“For ourselves it’s time to get through these last few fixtures giving as much back to the fans as possible, and giving it absolutely everything in the Cup to try and bring the first piece of ‘full-team’ silverware to King’s Lynn since our return to the top flight.”

This will be Lynn’s penultimate home Premiership fixture of the season – a Saddlebow stadium date with Belle Vue is to be re-arranged. The date for the league cup final with Sheffield has still to be announced.

The Premiership Pairs final two rounds have been pencilled-in for October 24 (Sheffield) and October 27 (Belle Vue).