KING’S Lynn have taken over at the top of the Elite League after a stunning comeback to win 47-45 at previous leaders Lakeside.Danish ace Niels-Kristian Iversen roared to a 21-point maximum for the Stars, who used the rider-replacement facility for collarbone injury victim Kenneth Bjerre and trailed by 11-points after Heat 9.But Iversen won a tactical ride in the next race and the visitors drew level on the night with a 5-1 from teenager Robert Lambert and fast-track reserve Lewis Kerr in Heat 14 – before Iversen completed his full house and captain Rory Schlein got the better of Peter Karlsson for the vital third place in the decider.Iversen said: “It's good to win on this type of track, it is really difficult to come here. They have a really good team, especially at home. It was one of those meetings where it gives us confidence that we can win away and I know we can beat any team in the league.”Polish youngster Piotr Pawlicki was another maximum man on Monday as he reeled off five winning rides in Wolverhampton’s 47-43 local derby win over Coventry at Monmore Green.Both sides opened up four-point leads during a match which had been delayed by heavy rain pre-meeting, with the Bees holding the advantage at reserve through Jason Garrity and James Sarjeant, whilst Pawlicki was well backed by Jacob Thorssell (11).Visiting duo Kenneth Hansen and Chris Harris packed in behind Pawlicki in the final race, ahead of World Champion Tai Woffinden, to ensure Coventry would take a point from the meeting with Wolves limited to two.Wolves boss Peter Adams said: “Coventry always turn out teams who are very capable here at Monmore and they are always a problem for us. We obviously arrived looking for all three points but I think the weather put paid to that because when the track is difficult early on it always favours the visitors.”Coventry manager Gary Havelock said: “I’m disappointed we didn’t win really, because I think the chance was there to win, but unfortunately certain decisions went against us.”Belle Vue secured all three league points from a 51-39 home win over Birmingham, who kept in contention for large spells of the meeting at Kirkmanshulme Lane.The scores were level after seven races before the home side pulled clear, although the Brummies still retained hope of salvaging a point going into the final heat – but Aces’ top scorer Scott Nicholls (13+1) and Craig Cook (11+2) took their own maximum advantage over Ben Barker and guest Nick Morris, whilst reserve Paul Starke top scored for the visitors with 9.Cook said: “It was in the back of my mind that they might lead for the first four or five heats and since we started off with the trickier gate positions, we knew we'd have to keep it close in the early stages at least. We kept things close early on, which was the most important job for us, and then we kicked on from there and got the win.”Birmingham captain Danny King said: “It was a good effort by the lads but frustrating at the same time because a couple of us should have scored better, including myself. We have to take the positives from this meeting and move forward from here.”Kent are through to the quarter-finals of the National League Knockout Cup with a 56-36 home win over Devon, for a 107-74 aggregate success. Home guests Oliver Greenwood and Steve Worrall were both unbeaten by an opponent whilst reserve James Shanes (13) top-scored for the Demons.Devon co-promoter Ashley Taylor said: “We kept thing close in the early stages and were only eight points down on the night at 38-30 after 11 heats. But Kent had too much top end strength and we were on the receiving end of three 5-1’s in the last four races.”
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PETERBOROUGH duo Lasse Bjerre and Ales Dryml have been passed fit to race in the club’s re-arranged Premier League KO Cup quarter-final clash with Scunthorpe on Tuesday.The duo both crashed during the Panthers’ defeat at Ipswich last week but have received the all-clear to return – although the home side do have a concern over Lewis Blackbird following a heavy fall at the weekend.Peterborough co-promoter Trevor Swales said: “Touch wood Lewis will be okay too. He was involved in what sounds like a nasty crash at Eastbourne on Saturday and his shoulder has really stiffened up since. We will have to use rider-replacement if Lewis doesn’t make it, but we certainly hope to be at full-strength for what will hopefully be our first home meeting for some time.“We need to make sure we are a lot sharper away from the tapes than we were at Ipswich last week because we need to build up a good advantage to take to Scunthorpe for the second leg.”Scunthorpe are looking to improve upon on a disastrous KO Cup record which has seen them lose 18 of the 19 first-round ties they have contested at second-tier level since 1972.Promoter Rob Godfrey said: “It’s about time we had a bit of success in this competition. Peterborough are a welcome addition to the Premier League. They will be worthy opponents, but of course we want to overcome them and progress.”Peterborough are running their reduced admission offer for members of the armed forces and emergency services tonight, with entry available for £10 on production of the relevant identification.
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TUESDAY MAY 20:PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 1st leg: Peterborough v Scunthorpe 7.30
WEDNESDAY MAY 21:ELITE LEAGUE: Birmingham v Eastbourne 7.30, Poole v Coventry 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Ipswich v Redcar 7.30
THURSDAY MAY 22:ELITE LEAGUE: King’s Lynn v Poole 7.30, Swindon v Leicester 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Redcar v Ipswich 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE KO CUP 1st round 2nd leg: Sheffield v Berwick 7.45
FRIDAY MAY 23:ELITE LEAGUE: Coventry v Eastbourne 7.30PREMIER LEAGUE: Edinburgh v Newcastle 7.30, Plymouth v Scunthorpe 7.15, Somerset v Sheffield 7.30, Workington v Berwick 7.30
