COVENTRY got the better of local rivals Leicester with a 50-40 win in an entertaining derby at Brandon on Friday.
The Buildbase Bees were the stronger side throughout but a series of misfortunes and misadventures enabled the Lions to keep in touch thanks to their fast gating.
The visitors could even have salvaged a league point had they shared the last race, but a superb double effort from Danny King and Krzysztof Kasprzak saw the Bees finish with a 5-1.
Leicester led the early stages as Bees often fell foul of referee Peter Clarke, with Jason Garrity breaking the tapes in Heat 1 and being handicapped 15 metres – whilst two more home riders were disqualified in the first five races.
Skipper Chris Harris was ejected from Heat 3 after being adjudged to have caused Szymon Wozniak to fall when Harris was passing him on the inside, with the Lions somewhat fortunate that a coasting Nicolai Klindt was sufficiently under power to be awarded third place.
A more serious incident occurred in Heat 5 when Kacper Woryna got out of shape exiting turn two and collided with Aaron Summers on the back straight, with the Lions rider taking a particularly heavy fall, although he was able to complete the meeting.
Kasprzak and Harris got the better of Lions guest Lewis Rose on the first lap of Heat 7 to put the Bees ahead for the first time, and two wins for Garrity helped the home side take control.
Harris and King both shot around Wozniak in successive laps in Heat 10 to put the Bees eight-up, but the Lions refused to buckle although Heat 11 nearly provided more carnage with Klindt’s defence of the lead coming off the fourth bend forcing Garrity into some remarkable bike control to remain aboard.
Woryna produced a fine effort in Heat 12 to go between the Lions reserves Josh Auty and Ludvig Lindgren off turn two, but a run of shared races continued when Wozniak somehow held off the threat of Kasprzak throughout a hard-fought Heat 13.
King suffered his only defeat of the night when a rapid Klindt start took him clear in the next, and mechanical trouble for Josh Bates gave the Lions the sniff of a league point.
But those hopes were ended in Heat 15 despite another quick getaway from Klindt, as King switched back for the inside off turn four to take the lead, and was immediately followed through by a clever move from Kasprzak to ensure the Bees ended with a 5-1.
King said: “I know Leicester were a bit under-strength but they put on a good show tonight, and it was good to finish with that 5-1. I was pleased to chase Klindt down, got past him and allowed Krzysztof to come through as well.
“There was some good racing, there wasn’t quite as much dirt on the outside but I think that allowed for some more manoeuvres with cut-backs off the corners.
“We spoke after the last meeting about moving the dirt a bit more regularly so it doesn’t go as far out so that you don’t have to ride underneath the air-fence!â€
ELITE LEAGUE COVENTRY 50: Danny King 13+1, Krzysztof Kasprzak 11+1, Jason Garrity 7+1, Chris Harris 6+2, Kacper Woryna 5, James Sarjeant 5, Josh Bates 3 LEICESTER 40: Nicolai Klindt 11+1, Josh Auty 10, Szymon Wozniak 8, Aaron Summers 5+1, Ludvig Lindgren 4+1, Lewis Rose 2, Patrick Hougaard r/r Elite League points: Coventry 3 Leicester 0
