PROMOTER Ged Rathbone is confident Peterborough will 'come good' during a hectic run of fixtures.

The 'T Balfe Construction' Panthers travel to Redcar tonight in the first of six SGB Championship outings during June as they bid to climb from eighth place in the standings.

The Media Prima Arena has been a happy hunting ground for Peterborough. They have recorded three successive victories at the North-East track, including a 46-44 win in a KO Cup clash earlier this season.

And they now boast the venue's fastest rider in their ranks. New number one Chris Harris holds the Redcar track record and he will spearhead a Panthers septet who are back to full-strength tonight.

"It's great to be in a position to be able to track a full one-to-seven," said Rathbone. "We've been hit hard by injuries and unavailability lately and I have no doubt that has contributed to some disappointing results.

"I didn't want to have to many any team changes this season, but it came to a point where I felt we had to act. Bringing Chris in has given everyone a huge boost and will take the pressure off some of the other boys.

"We just hope the rain stays away so we can actually get ourselves in the groove again. It's been very frustrating and very costly to see meetings postponed and abandoned lately.

"But we're looking forward and the aim is to string a few results together our season. If that happens our season will turn around quickly, and hopefully the process can start tonight. I'm confident we will come good.

"We've done well at Redcar in recent times and it's a track that seems to suit us. Chris is the track-record holder and we've got other guys who tend to score well there, but Redcar they have a strong team and will be fired up."

Harris will aim to complete a first full meeting since his Peterborough return tonight.

The club welcome back Jack Holder and Bradley Wilson-Dean after they missed the abandoned KO Cup trip to Scunthorpe on Sunday due to international commitments.

Wilson-Dean has been passed fit to ride at Redcar despite being involved in a couple of crashes during a GP qualifier in Germany on Monday which left man and machine somewhat worse for wear.

The New Zealand champion climbs into the main body of the team with Simon Lambert now operating at reserve alongside Tom Bacon.

After tonight's trip up north, Peterborough then host Berwick on Sunday in the first of four home league meetings this month.

They also entertain Sheffield on June 18, welcome Berwick again on June 23 and host Glasgow on June 25.

There is also an away trip to Sheffield on June 22 as well as a KO Cup quarter-final home clash against Scunthorpe on June 16 during a demanding spell for man and machine.

TEAMS

REDCAR: Jason Garrity, Jonas B. Andersen, Ben Barker, Ellis Perks, Charles Wright, Fernando Garcia, Liam Carr (guest).

PETERBOROUGH: Chris Harris, Bradley Wilson-Dean, Paul Starke, Ulrich Ostergaard, Jack Holder, Simon Lambert, Tom Bacon.


PICTURE: Recent signing Chris Harris in action for Peterborough in the abandoned meeting at Scunthorpe last Sunday. Credit: STEVE HONE