The Stars met their match last night when they were beaten by a determined Hammers side who reeled off three successive heat maximums to forge an 18-point lead with five races to go.

The visitors then ended that dismal sequence with a 4-4 as Niels Kristian Iversen finished behind Piotr Swiderski when taking Lynn's second tactical ride of the night.

Then back-to-back 5-1s offered the Stars a lifeline as Mads Korneliussen and Richie Worrall roared to success in heat 12 before Iversen and Rory Schlein teamed up for a traps-to-line success in the next to end Peter Karlsson's maximum hopes.

That left Stars 10 down at 45-35 but Worrall and the out of sorts Nicolai Klindt were left wanting at the start of heat 14, conceding a 5-1 to put the contest to bed.

Worrall, making his Lynn, debut was steady but the visitors were left regretting points thrown away in the early stages.

As the meeting progressed, the home side discovered their gating technique and a hat-trick of successive heat maximums proved crucial as the Hammers extended their advantage to 18 points with five heats to go.

Korneliusssen was at the back when he fell in heat eight attempting to force his way into contention and then Schlein blew a tactical ride when he was caught napping at the start as Lewis Bridger and Swiderski raced to a 5-1.

Korneliussen was on the wrong end of another maximum when Karlsson and Kim Nilsson jetted away from the gate in heat 10, leaving the Stars adrift by 39-21 and seeking inspiration to galvanise their hopes

A heat 12 5-1 from Korneliussen and Worrall restored some pride for the Stars but the loss of early points proved costly as they fell eight points behind after six heats. Iversen slid off when setting the pace in the opening race and then Klindt lost his way in heat three, converting a 5-1 with Korneliussen into a shared heat. The visitors' first heat advantage came in heat four when Schlein and Worrall combined for a 4-2 after the Aussie had trapped quickly and three races later the Stars gained another 4-2 after Swiderski could only split Korneliussen and Klindt but then the Hammers got their act together to devastating effect.

• Lakeside: Karlsson 12 (5), Nilsson 7+3 (5), Bridger 10 (6), rider replscement Watt, Swiderski 13+1 (6), Lawson 5+1 (4), Mear 6 (4).

• King's Lynn: Iversen 9 (4), rider replacement Stead, Korneliussen 12(6), Klindt 1 (4), Schlein 9+2 (5), Alden 0 (4) , Worrall 8+1 (7).