PETERBOROUGH promoter Ged Rathbone has warned his riders to under-estimate basement boys Scunthorpe at their peril tonight.
The ‘T Balfe Construction’ Panthers return to Premier League action for the first time in three weeks when entertaining the Scorpions at the East of England Showground (7.30pm).
And they will go into the first of two crucial home clashes in the space of four days (Berwick then visit Alwalton on Friday) with the aim of collecting a victory that will catapult them back to the top of the table.
But Rathbone knows that is no foregone conclusion for a Panthers team without two injured regulars against an improving Scunthorpe outfit.
“We don’t just want three points to get back to the top of the league – we need them,” insisted Rathbone.
“We’ve gone three weeks without a league meeting and have suffered the huge disappointment of going out of the KO Cup in unacceptable fashion during that time.
“Now it is about getting back to the business of winning speedway meetings. We have won our last five in the league and that record has to continue.
“But anyone who thinks it will be a doddle against Scunthorpe is very much mistaken. They are improving all the time and have picked up a couple of very good home wins against Ipswich and Glasgow lately.
“They have riders coming into form and in Michael Palm Toft, they possess a reserve capable of doing a lot of damage. We all know what he can do around the Showground.
“We will need all seven of our men to be on their game and contributing points. The team has a different look to it due to injuries, but we’ve got to ensure we kick on again now.”
Peterborough hand a debut to short-term recruit Ashley Morris after his arrival received the green light from the sport’s governing body, the British Speedway Promoters’ Association (BSPA).
Morris has been drafted in to cover the absence of long-term injury victim Simon Lambert, who suffered a broken hand in a nasty spill during the club’s last home meeting – a 38-52 reverse at the hands of Somerset in a Premier League KO Cup quarter-final, second leg clash nine days ago.
Morris will slot into the Peterborough line-up at reserve with Emil Grondal moving back into the main body of the team.
Czech reserve Zdenek Holub has also been ruled out by a hand injury sustained in a crash in his homeland last week. Tom Stokes will get another taste of Premier League action in his place tonight.
TEAMS
PETERBOROUGH ‘T BALFE CONSTRUCTION’ PANTHERS: Craig Cook, Emil Grondal, Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen, Ashley Morris, Ulrich Ostergaard, Tom Perry, Tom Stokes.
SCUNTHORPE: Josh Auty, Josh Bailey, Rider replacement for Alex Davies, Ryan Douglas, Lewis Kerr, Michael Palm Toft, Carl Wilkinson.
