NEWS ARCHIVE

29 April 2008

Reading 59, King's Lynn 34

Lynn need a Saddlebow salvage operation to keep alive hopes of retaining their KO Cup crown after last night's heavy second round, first leg defeat.

Luckless Stars' racer Kevin Doolan is an injury doubt for tomorrow's Norfolk Arena return after another early retirement. Doolan pulled out of the meeting following a nasty heat three spill in his opening ride - Ulrich Ostergaard smashing through the fence trying to avoid the stricken Aussie's machine after Doolan had clipped Tomas Suchanek.

Lynn's heat leader bravely went to the tapes for the re-run but took no further part after aggravating knee, back and ankle injuries suffered in Lynn's recent Premier League defeat at Sheffield.

The Stars were also embroiled in late heated exchanges with race officials after Kozza Smith was ruled out on the advice of trackside paramedics following a series of falls in his earlier outings.

John Oliver deputised for his compatriot in the penultimate heat. Racers' number one Mark Lemon completed his faultless five ride maximum in the finale to a crackerjack cup tie.

Ex-Stars rider Chris Mills (7+2) sparkled against his former team mates - jousting with Tomas Topinka in an intriguing opener after Lemon gated into the night.

Danny Warwick tumbled in the reserves before being ruled out with a damaged shoulder. Oliver claimed the re-run after Kozza Smith clipped the fence exiting the final turn.

Suchanek led Ostergaard home with the battered Doolan cut adrift in the next before Kozza Smith hit the shale again as namesake Jamie romped home.

Ostergaard outgated Topinka in a routine heat five. Lemon then moved Reading into a commanding 14 point lead with Mills too sharp around the top bend for Shaun Tacey.

Harrison ended the home onslaught but Kozza Smith failed to cash in on an extra ride in Doolan's absence. The young Aussie did anchor a timely heat advantage after diving inside Mills with Topinka landing a tactical raid off 15 metres for the minor placings.

Ostergaard and Lemon hit back with consecutive maximums before Topinka edged out former Star Tom Madsen. Lemon nudged Reading through the 50 point barrier in a heat 13 cruise. Harrison's tactical foray in the penultimate contest split the Racers' duo before Ostergaard's night ended on a sour note with exclusion in the finale.

Racers: Lemon 15, Mills 7+2, Ostergaard 11+1, Suchanek 7+1, Madsen 7+1, J Smith 12+3, Warwick 0.

Stars: Topinka 13, Lambert 0, Doolan 1, Harrison 9+1, Tacey 2, Oliver 5, K Smith 4.