JIM Lynch admits avoiding bottom spot is Mission Impossible for Leicester following a 50-40 defeat at King’s Lynn.
But far from being downbeat, the Watling JCB Lions team boss insists “there are no sad faces” and remains as determined as ever to raise smiles on home shale for the rest of the season.
Leicester led by six after five heats and held a slender advantage up to the heat-10 interval before King’s Lynn upped the ante at the Adrian Flux Arena.
The rivals traded 5-1s early on before guest Josh Grajczonek led another maximum with Erik Riss forcing his way past Kai Huckenbeck in the fifth to hand the Lions their healthy cushion.
Thomas Jorgensen rounded Danny King as the Stars hit straight back but another Riss win put Leicester four to the good after eight races.
After the break, former Lion Josh Auty passed Grajczonek to win heat 11 and went from first to third and then to first again as a reserve replacement in the 12th.
Home captain Robert Lambert, who completed a five-ride full maximum, and Jonasson then teamed up to extend to six points the deficit and repeated the trick at the death to give the scoreline a somewhat flattering look.
“Their secret weapon was Josh Auty,” said Lynch. “He seemed to gain a new lease of life following the track grading.
“It was a good meeting with plenty to excite the crowd and I have nothing against King’s Lynn enjoying a good result after the run they have had of late, even if we didn’t want it to be at our expense.
“Once we got to the halfway point in the season, we wanted to make it better for the fans at Leicester and that’s what we’ve done as well as giving them something to cheer on our travels.
“Getting off the bottom of the league is unlikely because we don’t have enough meetings left to play with but there are no sad faces.
“It was a great advert for speedway and we were beaten by a better side on the night. Nothing particularly went wrong, nobody got hurt and the crowd went home happy.
“Our target remains the same, to win the rest of our home meetings, and we go into Saturday’s match with Belle Vue in a good frame of mind to do that.”
Tapes up for the title-chasing Manchester outfit’s visit to Beaumont Park is 8pm.
KING’S LYNN 50: Robert Lambert 15, Tomas H Jonasson 11+3, Josh Auty 8+1, Michael Palm-Toft 7, Thomas Jorgensen 6+2, Kai Huckenbeck 3, Simon Lambert 0.
LEICESTER 40: Cameron Heeps 10+2, Danny King 8, Erik Riss 7+2, Josh Grajczonek 7, Josh Bates 4+1, Kyle Newman 4+1, Pawel Przedpelski R/R.
