LASSE Bjerre reckons “there is more to come” from all quarters after Leicester ended an eight-match winless run in the Premiership by beating Somerset 48-42.
The Dane roared to four wins from five to register 12 points, his best score of the season for a Lions side that fought back from six down at Beaumont Park.
Despite a treacherous start, Bjerre produced some blistering gates on his new equipment while Kim Nilsson and Danny King hit double figures to seal a first Premiership victory since April 1 with a heat to spare.
“This was my first night on new engines and while it was hard to find the set up at first, I got it pretty quickly,” said Bjerre.
“It is so hard to put into words what a difference it makes. It was a big step because I had been using the others all my life but they were amazing."
The home side were in trouble when Bjerre was pushed to the back by some early bunching in heat five as Josh Grajczonek and Lewis Kerr sealed Somerset’s second 5-1 in a row.
Number one Nilsson, who was on a paid maximum until heat 15, immediately reduced the arrears and Leicester slowly made inroads in between shared heats.
It was level pegging after 10 races and stayed that way until a heat-13 thriller in which Grajczonek took advantage of Nilsson dealing with Rebels guest Brady Kurtz’s cutback to the inside from gate four.
With every position still up for grabs at the start of the back straight, a resurgent Danny King roared around the outside of Grajczonek and not to be outdone, Nilsson seized second on lap two to claim the only Lions 5-1 of the night.
Bjerre, who had to be told to move from gate two to gate four by the referee, then made a flyer from the outside in heat 14 with Josh Bates crucially taking third to seal victory.
Any kind of Leicester heat advantage would have sent Somerset home empty handed but despite Grajczonek being forced back 15 metres for touching the tapes, Kurtz stood firm under intense scrutiny from King and Nilsson.
On the meeting, Bjerre added: “It was tough at the start, especially after my second heat but we kept our heads up and stuck to the plan.
“All of the boys did well and it was great to win, especially at Leicester because we need to get results here.
“I am really happy, feel good about riding here on my new equipment and hopefully, I won’t be struggling any more. I am doing my best and the rest of the team is as well so we feel like there is more to come.”
LEICESTER 48: Kim Nilsson 12+2, Danny King 12, Lasse Bjerre 12, Erik Riss 6, Josh Bates 6, Ellis Perks 0, Jason Garrity r/r.
SOMERSET 42: Brady Kurtz 10, Cameron Heeps 8+3, Michael Palm Toft 8+2, Josh Grajczonek 8, Jake Allen 4+2, Lewis Kerr 4+1, Charles Wright r/r.
