Peterborough got themselves back into this qualifying group with a solid display following the celebrations of Monday night.
Pulling back a 16 deficit after the 1st leg at Coventry was always going to be difficult and although injuries played a big part in the Aces demise, Coventry clearly rode with determination and it will need another showing of this magnitude at Belle Vue next Monday if Panthers are to progress to the final.
Panthers had a good start as they took a 4-2 over Belle Vue through Hans Andersen & Richard Hall in heat 1, Coventry immediately hit back with a maximum in heat 2 over the weak Belle Vue pair of Jason Lyons & Phil Morris. Scott Nicholls won heat 3 but Jesper Jensen ensured it was honours even by re-passing Billy Janniro to follow Niels Kristian Iversen home.
World Champion Jason Crump left Ryan Sullivan & Piotr Swiderski in his wake on his way to heat 4 success, and Simon Stead repeated this with a heat 5 victory over Rory Schlein & Martin Smolinski. Andersen got the better of Nicholls at the front in heat 6, but Janniro won the battle at the back with Hall so another 3-3 left Coventry on 14, Panthers 13 & Belle Vue on 9. Sullivan & Swiderski scored an easy 5-1 over Belle Vue in heat 7, with Belle Vue taking advantage of Coventry bike problems to take a 4-2 in heat 8. Iversen & Jensen could do nothing to prevent Chris Harris winning heat 9, but the real interest centred on heat 10 as Hans Andersen came up against Jason Crump.
Crump made a fabulous start and neither Hall or Andersen could do anything about it as Crump blasted away for his 3rd win in 3 starts. A shared heat 11 between Belle Vue & Coventry was followed by a Panthers 4-2 over Coventry, as Swiderski got the better of a hard first lap with Schlein. Sullivan was unable to get by finishing third. After heat 12 Peterborough had crept into a slight lead with 28, Coventry had 24 and Belle Vue 20.
After a short break Iversen & Jensen got the expected 5-1 over the Belle Vue pairing of Lyons & Morris, which left Crump to complete his maximum with his hardest ride in heat 12, as it took him a lap to get by Oliver Allen. It was never a case of if, more a case of when, as Crump looked to be on a different planet to the rest of the field. Andersen & Hall took another 4-2 over Coventry in heat 15 as the Panthers started to reduce the Bees overall lead. Jensen & Iversen took a marvellous maximum over the impressive Simon Stead in heat 16, but Coventry restored the status quo with their own maximum over Belle Vue in heat 17.
Swiderski saved his best until last with an impressive victory in heat 18, but Hall in for Sullivan was unable to help as he was hit by mechanical problems as he pressured at the rear. This result leaves Coventry as favourites to make the final, as Panthers will need to make up another 8 points at Belle Vue which would appear to be a big ask, but its by no means an insurmountable task. Belle Vue have hit major injury problems, and unless Kenneth Bjerre returns for the final leg their challenge looks over. Piotr Swiderski got the MOM award and is getting better at Alwalton week by week.
Peterborough Panthers 45
1. Hans N Andersen 3, 3, 1*, 3 = 10+1 2. Richard Hall 1, 0, 2, 1, R = 4 3. Niels-Kristian Iversen 2, 2, 3, 2* = 9+1 4. Jesper B Jensen 1*, 1*, 2*, 3 = 7+3 5. Ryan Sullivan 2, 3, 1 = 6 6. Piotr Swiderski 1*, 2*, 3, 3 = 9+1
Belle Vue 'Fonestyle UK' Aces 26
1. Simon Stead 2, 3, 2, 1 = 8 2. James Wright 0, 0, 1*, 0 = 1+1 3. Phil Morris 1, 0, 0, 0 = 1 4. Jason Lyons (G) 0, 1, 1, 1 = 3 5. Jason Crump 3, 3, 3, 3 = 12 6. Craig Branney (G) 0, 1, 0, R = 1
Coventry 'Buildbase' Bees 37
1. Scott Nicholls 3, 2, 3, 3 = 11 2. Billy Janniro 0, 1*, 0, 2* = 3+2 3. Chris Harris 3, 3, 1*, 1* = 8+2 4. Oliver Allen 2*, 0, 2, 2 = 6+1 5. Rory Schlein 2, 2, 2, 2 = 8 6. Martin Smolinski 1*, R, 0, 0 = 1+1
