A SENSATIONAL last-heat win from King’s Lynn Stars’ Robert Lambert, despite an earlier horror crash, ended Swindon Robins’ hopes of reaching the Knockout Cup Final.

The Robins lost 93-87 on aggregate as Lambert and Erik Riss recorded a match-winning 5-1 in the concluding race of the two-legged contest.

It followed a horrifying crash for Lambert, who was sent into the air fence at full speed after clashing with Tobiasz Musielak’s back wheel in a first bend incident.

The 20-year-old rose to his feet after receiving medical attention though to record one of the most dramatic wins British Speedway has seen this season, ending Swindon’s cup campaign.

Alun Rossiter was forced into making three team changes with Adam Ellis, Zach Wajtknecht and Jack Smith all ruled out through injury.

Scott Campos and Theo Pijper stepped in to fill the reserve positions while rider replacement was operated for Ellis.

King’s Lynn were also forced to make a change with rider replacement used for the absent Ty Proctor.

Frenchman David Bellego threw away points in the opening race after lifting while exiting turn two – gifting Norfolk racer Lambert a heat one win with Troy Batchelor in second as Stars cut their deficit to four points.

Heat two saw King’s Lynn draw level on aggregate as reserve pair Michael Palm Toft and Simon Lambert raced to a home 5-1 after Lambert pegged Robins guest Pijper on the line following a race-long battle.

Musielak became Swindon’s first heat winner when taking the chequered flag in race three, though Pijper could only manage fourth as the aggregate score remained level.

Skipper Nick Morris fell victim to Lambert’s forceful first bend move in heat four as seven-times Danish champion Niels-Kristian Iversen cut underneath the Australian as King’s Lynn opened up a four-point aggregate lead.

Stars’ lead didn’t last long, as Bellego made up for his first race blunder when taking the chequered flag comfortably with team mate Batchelor shadowing his every move in second.

The hosts hit back with a maximum race advantage of their own in heat six though as Morris made a slow start, granting Riss and Lambert with the time and space required to record Stars’ third maximum in six races.

There was drama in heat seven when Iversen spectacularly crashed out of the race following an unforced error, resulting in his exclusion.

The re-run saw the home side’s lead halved as Polish star Musielak won his second race with Bellego in third.

Pijper then rode a smart line in heat eight to hold off Lambert’s relentless challenge in a crunch battle for third place while Bellego couldn’t find a way past Riss in the lead as Stars’ aggregate lead remained at two points with eight heats raced.

Morris’ below-par opening two rides were put to the back of his mind when he took the flag in nine, though a Stars 5-1 in heat 10 stretched the hosts’ aggregate lead to six with five heats remaining as Lambert and Riss ended Musielak’s unbeaten run.

Stars were then hit by news that Iversen opted to withdraw from the meeting after hitting his knee during his earlier fall.

Further bad news in the shape of a Robins 5-1 meant Stars’ aggregate lead was cut to just two points with four heats remaining.

Batchelor and Bellego gated clear of Toft and Jorgensen to record Robins’ second maximum race advantage of the night.

Robins’ two-point deficit remained with three heats remaining as Musielak raced to the chequered flag in heat 12 – however his team mate Pijper surrendered second position during lap one as Stars poached a 3-3.

Speedway of Nations bronze medallist Lambert comfortably won 13 before a sensational ride from Musielak in heat 14 ensured the two-legged meeting went down to the final heat with Robins requiring a 5-1 to win.

The race had to be re-run though following Lambert’s fall. But the re-run proved fruitful for the hosts who will face either Somerset Rebels or Belle Vue Aces in the final.

KING’S LYNN STARS 51 (93): Robert Lambert (3, 2’, 3, 3, 3) 14+1; Erik Riss (1, 1’, 3, 3, 2’, 0, 2’)13+3; Ty Proctor - rider replacement; Thomas Jorgensen (2, 0, 1’ 0, 1’) 4+2; Niels Kristian Iversen (2’, F/X) = 2+1 withdrew; Michael Palm Toft (3, 1, 2, 2, 1, 1’, 2) 12+1; Simon Lambert (2’, 3, 0, 2 = 7+1).

SWINDON ROBINS 39 (87): Troy Batchelor (2, 2’, 2’, 2, 1) 9+2; David Bellego (0, 3, 1, 2, 3) 9; Adam Ellis - rider replacement; Tobiasz Musielak (3, 3, 1, 3, 3, 0) 13; Nick Morris (1, 1, 3, 1’) 6+1; Theo Pijper (Guest) (1, 0, 1’, 0, 0, 0, 0) 2+1; Scott Campos (Guest) (0, 0, 0,) = 0.