PETERBOROUGH put their Premier League Cup challenge back on track with a power-packed away performance last night.
Four riders – top-scorer Nicklas Porsing, impressive reserve Tom Perry, captain Ulrich Ostergaard and the in-form Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen – all delivered dazzling double-figures scores as the ‘T Balfe Construction’ Panthers breezed to a 57-36 success at Scunthorpe in a crucial Midland Group clash.
Peterborough provided 12 heat winners and slammed in nine advantages at the Eddie Wright Raceway while delivering the perfect reaction to a disappointing home defeat at the hands of group leaders Sheffield 48 hours earlier.
Team boss Carl Johnson said: “We responded in both the way I expected and the way we needed.
“We got on top of Scunthorpe in the early stages of the meeting and never let them get back into it.
“We were aware of the fact they hadn’t won either of their two previous home meetings, but the main focus was on doing our jobs properly.
“We knew we could come get the victory providing we produced the sort of performance we feel we’re capable of delivering and the four points put us right back in touch with Sheffield in the table.”
Peterborough hit the front when Perry, who starred with a series of fine rides during a six-outing shift, inspired a 4-2 in the second instalment and they never looked back.
By the time he followed in Simon Lambert for a second 5-1 of the evening in heat eight, the visitors’ advantage had grown to 14 points.
Scunthorpe’s top-scorer Ryan Douglas did successfully complete a tactical-ride mission in heat nine, but Perry and Porsing packed the minor places to minimise the damage.
It left Peterborough in possession of an 11-point cushion which they came close to doubling in the remaining heats.
Busk Jakobsen and Ostergaard both completed hat-tricks of race wins as victory was all but wrapped up with four races to spare.
But both Danes saw their hopes of maximums dashed in successive heats. The former failed to meet the two-minute warning in the 12th contest due to a throttle problem and was replaced by Perry before Ostergaard had to settle for third in the next race when partner Porsing took the flag.
And Porsing was again out in front in the finale to complete his fourth success of a memorable night as Peterborough cranked up the pressure on pacesetters Sheffield.
They trail the Tigers by two points with both clubs having home and away clashes against Ipswich to come.
Peterborough are the first to take on the Witches when they travel to Foxhall on Thursday (April 14).
SCORES:
SCUNTHORPE: Ryan Douglas 14+1, Josh Auty 9, Alex Davies 7, Ashley Morris 4+1, Carl Wilkinson 1+1, Josh Bailey 1, Rider replacement for Zdenek Holub.
PETERBOROUGH ‘T BALFE CONSTRUCTION’ PANTHERS: Nicklas Porsing 13+1, Tom Perry 12+2, Ulrich Ostergaard 10, Nikolaj B Jakobsen 10, Michael Palm Toft 6+1, Simon Lambert 4, Emil Grondal 2+1.
