Lynn Stars select Belle Vue in play-offs after topping Premiership

King’s Lynn 60 Leicester Lions 30, meeting two

King’s Lynn Stars managed an even better result in the second half of a double-header to confirm their first-ever top spot finish in the speedway top flight on Wednesday night.

No celebrations quite yet, though, and the champagne is still on ice as they’ve still got it all to do in the play-offs in order to capture their first SGB Premiership title.

The Stars have picked Belle Vue Aces in the play-offs with the first away leg being Monday, September 24 at the National Stadium, Manchester, and the return a week later at the Adrian Flux Arena.

Guest Adam Ellis, who normally rides for Swindon, again shone with 11 points from four rides.

Robert Lambert beat away number one Hans Andersen in the opening heat, with Erik Riss in third defeating former Lynn rider Josh Auty in a 4-2 home result.

Niels-Kristian Iversen seemed to be struggling with his shoulder after four meetings in three days and was warned by referee Ronnie Allan to remain still at the start in Heat 4 along with Andersen.

But Iversen went on to grab two wins and just lost to victor Andersen in a terrific final nominated heat 15 contest which ended 3-3 with skipper Lambert (paid 14 points) in third.

Lynn notched maximums in Heats 5 and 6 to go 23-13 up and added five maximums between the ninth and 14th races to cruise home, capped by Iversen/R. Lambert and Thomas Jorgensen/Michael Palm Toft in Heats 13 and 14 respectively.

King’s Lynn: Robert Lambert 11+3, Erik Riss 8, Adam Ellis (guest) 11, Thomas Jorgensen 7+4, Niels-Kristian Iversen 9+1, Michael Palm Toft 8+2, Simon Lambert 6+1.

Leicester Lions: Hans Andersen 11, Josh Auty 3, Charles Wright 2, Ricky Wells 9, Scott Nicholls R/R, Connor Mountain 0, Stuart Robson 5+1.

King's Lynn Stars 56 Leicester Lions 34, meeting one

Lynn secured the first half of their mission - which was to take two wins and secure top spot - with another solid team scoring effort on Wednesday.

Chief scorer Robert Lambert was backed up by guest Adam Ellis’s hat-trick of heat wins while reserve Michael Palm Toft dropped just one point from his first four rides to a member of the opposition.

The Tru Plant Stars needed four points in total from the two back-to-back meetings with the Lions at the Adrian Flux Arena to seal top position in the SGB Premiership.

The visitors’ cause was not helped by the late withdrawal of the experienced Scott Nicholls with an ankle injury; while Josh Auty, who had a spell at Saddlebow Road last season, declared himself fit.

Robert Lambert opened proceedings with the fastest time of the season, 57.84 seconds in a comfortable victory with Erik Riss backing up his captain in a 5-1 maximum heat success.

Riss was fourth in the Championship Riders Individual at the weekend at Sheffield.

Leicester’s Stuart Robson and Lynn's guest Ellis – in for the resting Ty Proctor who has a bruised sternum – won the next two heats in shared 3-3 results.

Palm Toft came in for Simon Lambert, who broke the Heat 4 starting tapes. Ricky Wells evened matters by falling on bend four, to be excluded. Niels-Kristian Iversen and Palm Toft racked up a 5-1.

Skipper Lambert hit the tapes and took a 15-metre Heat 6 penalty; but on returning to the pits Lynn-born Connor Mountain rode over the infield and was excluded.

Riss/Toft and Ellis/Jorgensen made it 32-22 after nine races with successive 5-1 triumphs.

Robert Lambert and third-spot Riss finished the night with a 4-2, Lynn's second of the evening with six maximums in total.

Away reserves Robson and Mountain tackled Heat 13 in a home 5-1 while Lions No.1 Hans Andersen came in as a Heat 14 tactical substitute, losing to Thomas Jorgensen.

King’s Lynn: Robert Lambert 12+2, Erik Riss 9+1, Adam Ellis (guest) 9, Thomas Jorgensen 8+1, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7, Michael Palm Toft 9+2, Simon Lambert 2+1.

Leicester Lions: Hans Andersen 7, Josh Auty 5+1, Charles Wright 7+2, Ricky Wells 6+1, Scott Nicholls R/R, Connor Mountain 0, Stuart Robson 9+1.

Play-off dates

Monday, September 17: Somerset Rebels v Poole Pirates.

Mon, Sept 24: Belle Vue Aces v K.Lynn Stars.

Mon, October 1 Pirates v Rebels, Stars v Aces.

Mon, Oct 8 & 10: Grand Final first and second leg.