Speedway: Capital side wary of the threat posed by King's Lynn

Published on Tuesday 27 July 2010 12:14

KING'S LYNN STARS are a dominant force in Premier League speedway but their fortunes have been on the wane so far this season.

The reigning championship holders have lost their last four away meetings and are all but out of the 2010 title race, but it would be a fallacy to suggest they are a spent force.

And Edinburgh Monarchs co-boss John Campbell is fully aware that tonight's KO Cup quarter-final first leg tie at the Norfolk Arena will be anything other than a tough test for the Capital speedway outfit. Sensitive to the fact that the Cup may represent the best chance King's Lynn have of lifting silverware this season, Campbell says Monarchs must be on their guard.

"When King's Lynn are at their strongest you have to be careful that the first leg of this fixture is not over before you make the journey back north again, though I don't think this will be the case," he said.

Campbell went on: "I think King's Lynn are going through one of their poorest periods in recent years. But we will not be going there in an over-confident mood, it's always very difficult at King's Lynn no matter who is in their team or what they are doing.

"However, I'm sure we will score enough points to give us a chance in the second leg at Armadale; if we get within ten points of them I'll be happy and, if we can actually win the meeting, we'll try to do that."

King's Lynn manager Rob Lyon is pleading with his club's supporters to give his side one more chance to prove themselves.

He said: "We have been having a tough time and I know the team isn't performing like it should do. But the guys themselves know how important this match is and have pledged to give 110 per cent.

"We have a good record at Edinburgh and, if we can pull out a ten or twelve-point lead, then I think we would have a decent chance of reaching the semi-finals."

But Lyon warned: "If the team do not produce the goods I will unfortunately be forced to make changes."

The Stars are without injured top star Kevin Doolan but have shrewdly booked in former King's Lynn ace Chris Schramm as a guest replacement.

Schramm, now with Workington Comets, commented: "I helped King's Lynn win the league last season and, when Rob explained they were now going through a tough time, I readily agreed to guest for them and to try and get them over this lean spell."

Monarchs, whose only defeat in 14 league matches was at the hands of King's Lynn at home in May, are also carrying injury problems and will be without flying Finn Kalle Katajisto at reserve, and this is something of a hammer blow bearing in mind how fruitful his scoring has been from the tail-end.

Monarchs captain Matthew Wethers, who could play a pivotal role alongside team-mate Andrew Tully providing they can get out of the gate quickly enough, said: "We have a good chance against them, but you can never go to King's Lynn thinking it is going to be easy, they are a very fast team and have a good home advantage."

Monarchs host the deciding leg on Friday, 6 August by which time Katajisto, who injured his foot in a pile-up at Glasgow on Sunday, will be back in the saddle.

"We have a good chance but you can never go to King's Lynn thinking it is going to be easy"

MATTHEW WETHERS