COVENTRY’S lead at the top of the Elite League table is back up to ten points after a 48-42 win at Leicester on Saturday.
Poole had moved into second place with victory at Lakeside 24 hours earlier but the Buildbase Bees responded at the Jordan Road Surfacing Stadium with a remarkable fifth away win in seven outings on the road so far this season – and the second at the home of their near neighbours.
They took advantage of a Leicester side who appear to be heading towards a revamp, but Bees themselves were not without their own problems on the night.
Reserve Jason Garrity led the way with a 12-point haul, including three race wins, whilst Joonas Kylmakorpi again showed the value of his early-season arrival as he dropped just one point in his first four outings – and skipper Chris Harris gave a strong display for paid-11.
Bees responded well from an early setback when guest Nick Morris suffered clutch problems at the start of Heat 1 and the Lions raced to a 5-1 – but by the end of Heat 4 it was the visitors who were into a four-point lead.
Garrity and Danny King were winners in Heats 2 and 4 with James Sarjeant supplying third place on both occasions, and in between there was a big 5-1 in Heat 3 from Kylmakorpi and Harris with the Lions hampered by a handicap for Jason Doyle, who broke the tapes, with the starts a cause for debate through much of the meeting.
Harris blasted through to win Heat 6, making it past Szymon Wozniak on the third lap with Morris also overhauling fellow countryman Brady Kurtz for third place, and the start-line drama continued with Stuart Robson being penalised in Heat 8.
The Lions managed a 4-2 in the re-run but Bees quickly restored order with a fine ride from Sarjeant to win Heat 9 after a very quick start with King third, and they moved eight-up in Heat 11 as Kylmakorpi got the better of Doyle with Harris in third.
Garrity continued his domination at reserve in Heat 12 but Sarjeant suffered a wheel-bearing failure causing a spectacular exit from the race having previously become another rider to be penalised for touching the tapes.
A shared Heat 13, Morris and Harris following Doyle home, all-but secured Bees’ win and Kylmakorpi made sure with victory in the penultimate race.
At that stage they were on for all four points from the meeting but in the event they had to settle for three as the Lions clawed back a 4-2 in the last race with Kylmakorpi missing out for the first time in a battle with Wozniak, as Doyle headed Harris to the flag.
Bees boss Gary Havelock said: “Once we were in front, I always felt we could control the meeting as long as we kept the last places off the card.
“Four points would have been nice, but three will do me. We’re on a roll, and when we all fire it doesn’t matter where we are – I feel we can win meetings.
“Chris Harris seems to be getting a lot of bonus points lately, and he’s probably the best team-rider in our team. He always looks for his team-mate on the first bend and tries to get them through, and he’s a fantastic skipper.
“It was great to see so many Coventry fans here, I know it’s not a million miles away but they’ve still got to drive over and pay their hard-earned to get in, and it’s fantastic support which the boys really appreciate.â€
LEICESTER 42: Jason Doyle 15, Szymon Wozniak 10+2, Steve Worrall 7, Aaron Summers 5+2, Brady Kurtz 4, Simon Lambert 1+1, Bjarne Pedersen R/R. BUILDBASE BEES 48: Jason Garrity 12, Joonas Kylmakorpi 11, Chris Harris 9+2, Nick Morris 6, Danny King 5+1, James Sarjeant 5, Stuart Robson 0.
