PETERBOROUGH snatched a valuable Premier League Cup draw to start their season in fine style tonight.
The ‘T Balfe Construction’ Panthersclaimed a final-heat 4-2 and a 45-45 deadlock at Owlerton following the retirement of Tigers skipper Simon Stead when in front.
Peterborough captain Ulrich Ostergaard pounced to hit the front and held off a determined challenge from Kyle Howarth to take the chequered flag with partner Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen completing a pleasing debut with third place to earn a meeting-levelling 4-2.
And it was no more than the visitors deserved for a solid all-round showing in which all seven riders made important scoring contributions.
The meeting certainly ended better than it started for Ostergaard as he and partner Simon Lambert could make no impression after both fluffing the start in the opener, gifting the hosts a 5-1.
But the same duo made amends with a pair of rip-roaring getaways to bag a 5-1 of their own and bring Panthers back onto level terms in heat five.
There had been three shared races in between those maximum returns.
Tom Perry blasted round the outside of Nathan Greaves going through the final two bends to snatch third place in heat two before Busk Jakobsen made his first Peterborough ride a winning one in the third race. Perry and Porsing then packed the minor places in the fourth contest.
Parity proved to be short-lived following that Panthers 5-1 from Ostergaard and Lambert as the Tigers immediately edged back ahead courtesy of a 4-2.
Stead got the better of Porsing in a thrilling scrap for heat six glory with the Panthers man hitting the front late on the third lap only for the Tigers man to dive back past entering the penultimate bend.
Sheffield guest Ricky Wells eased to his second success of the night in the next instalment with Michael Palm Toft working his way past Greaves to take third place and secure a share of the spoils for Panthers.
And they hit the front for the first time when Emil Grondal and Lambert were left to pocket a 5-1 in heat eight after early leader Dimitri Berge had packed up on the opening lap.
But Sheffield hit straight back with a full house as the exciting Josh Bates and Howarth kept Perry at bay with Porsing making no impression after missing the start and eventually retiring from last on lap three.
Another 5-1 for the hosts looked on the cards in a re-run 10th heat until Palm Toft brilliantly sped down the inside of Stead, leaving the final bend, to reduce the damage to a 4-2.
The initial staging of that race had been halted when Busk Jakobsen went down going through the opening two bends. Referee Margaret Vardy ruled all four riders would restart.
Ostergaard’s tapes-to-flag triumph in heat 11 was complimented by a battling third place from Lambert, who sped past Sheffield reserve Richard Hall on the third lap, to secure a 4-2 of their own.
And the gap remained at two points after Howarth kept a double-Danish challenge of Busk Jakobsen and Grondal at bay in heat 12 before Ostergaard and Porsing split the powerful home pair of Stead and Wells in the next.
Panthers again packed the minor places in the penultimate contest to secure a league point before they boosted their return when punishing Stead’s retirement in the finale.
They are back in action tomorrow (Friday) when they entertain Scunthorpe at the East of England Showground (7.30pm).
SCORES
SHEFFIELD: Simon Stead 10, Kyle Howarth 9+2, Ricky Wells (guest) 8, Josh Bates 8, Dimitri Berge 6+1, Richard Hall 4, Nathan Greaves 0.
PETERBOROUGH ‘T BALFE CONSTRUCTION’ PANTHERS: Ulrich Ostergaard 11, Emil Grondal 8+1, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen 8, Simon Lambert 6+2, Nicklas Porsing 4+2, Michael Palm Toft 4+2, Tom Perry 4+1.
