KO CUPBerwick 26, King's Lynn 57 (Lynn won 115-58 on aggregate. Second leg stopped following heat 14 after meeting exceeded time curfew)BANDITS' promoter John Anderson issued a public apology after watching Lynn crush his side to book a Premier League KO Cup semi-final spot.

KO CUP

Berwick 26, King's Lynn 57

(Lynn won 115-58 on aggregate. Second leg stopped following heat 14 after meeting exceeded time curfew)

BANDITS' promoter John Anderson issued a public apology after watching Lynn crush his side to book a Premier League KO Cup semi-final spot.

The Stars travelled north defending a 26-point first leg lead but without injured skipper Tomas Topinka (ankle) and World U21 semi-finalists Darcy Ward and Linus Eklof.

Scunthorpe skipper David Howe (paid 13) and ex-Star Rusty Harrison (paid nine) shone on guest duty as Lynn's new-look line-up inflicted a first home defeat of the season on the Borders' outfit.

Berwick were put out of their misery one heat early following an hour-long rain delay after heat six which ensured the quarter-final tie exceeded the time curfew.

Chris Schramm wrote himself into the Berwick record books with the third fastest tour around Shielfield prior to the downpour - Rob Lyon's men burying the hosts under an early barrage of maximums.

Anderson admitted Lynn had served up a speedway lesson after Berwick won just three of the 14 heats. Anderson labelled Lynn's gating masterclass as the best he had seen on home shale - Howe trapping in front of Michal Makovsky to pocket the opener in a clear statement of intent. Jan Graversen put his Sheffield blank behind him to dive inside team mate Kozza Smith to claim the reserves on his way to a confidence-boosting paid 10 return.

Schramm fired to the next in 64.4 seconds before Emiliano Sanchez anchored a rider replacement max to move Lynn 38 points clear on the aggregate scoresheet.

Smith's heat six tumble was the signal for a mid-meeting storm that held up Lynn's victory surge for an hour. Josef Franc's heat nine flag offered token home resistance before Lynn reeled off three race wins prior to the early stoppage.

Bandits: Makovsky 9, Lawson 1, Clews 3, Franc 8, Franchetti 2, Blair 0, Simmons 3.

Stars: Howe 13, Harrison 7+2, Sanchez 14+1, Schramm 11+1, Smith 4+2, Graversen 8+2.