Peterborough got the season back on track with a stunning win at Monmore to end the Wolves unbeaten 2006 home record. Panthers going into the meeting without injured no 2 Jesper B Jensen stunned the home side from the off as they consistently made the better starts.
Skipper Hans Andersen led by example with a brilliant and faultless 18 point maximum to give a clear message to his rivals in Copenhagen on Saturday that he won’t just be making the numbers up. But it was a far from one man show as the team pulled together with important scores from Ryan Sullivan & Niels Kristian Iversen and new boy Karol Zabik who looked impressive on his debut.
Andersen jetted away to win his now customary heat 1 to share the spoils and Panthers took full advantage of a Wolves mishap in heat 2 to share that one as well. It got better straight away as Sullivan & Iversen raced away to a maximum in 3 and although Wolves took a heat advantage in 4, Iversen raised a few eyebrows by taking Billy Hamill from the back.
Andersen got another tapes to flag win in heat 5 and then beat ex panther Peter Karlsson for the second time in the match with another win in 6, when coming in for JBJ. Sullivan then past Hamill in heat 7 and with Iversen third Panthers had opened up a 4 point lead.
Wolves clearly thought they would pull it back in heat 8 but hadn’t banked on a fabulous ride from Karol Zabik as he diced for the lead with Magnus Karlsson, but Zabik held on to ensure a shared heat and keep up the pressure on the home side.
Ronnie Correy & Freddie Lindgren tied the match with a 5-1 in heat 9 and a Wolves 4-2 in heat 10 gave them the lead for the first time. Andersen was out trapped by Hamill in heat 11 but Andersen soon slipped by him, but the opposition filled the minor placings to maintain there slim lead.
Controversy reigned in heat 12 as Zabik was excluded for being the prime cause of a coming together with Correy whilst disputing the lead, but despite strong protests referee Robbie Perks maintained his stance and it was left to Sullivan to win the rerun which he did to the delight of the fans.
Sullivan deputised for JBJ in heat 13 and with Andersen briefly led the race, Peter Karlsson eventually got by Sullivan but with Hamill at the back it was a Panthers heat success and the score was level again. This match had last heat decider written all over it and so it was to prove.
Iversen won heat 14 to share another heat and the last heat decider was on.
Peter Karlsson & Hamill for Wolves with Andersen & Iversen for Panthers. Andersen & Iversen got the drop and led the Wolves pair for 2 laps, Hamill then lost it on the first corner (yeah right) dropped the bike and stayed down to try and get his team a chance in a re run.
Another classic lack of backbone by the referee ensured he got it and despite protests a re run was ordered. Not unsurprisingly PK then got the drop on Andersen & Iversen and hopes were high in the Wolves camp that they might just salvage a draw. Andersen was having none of it though as he reeled PK in and passed him to complete his full 18 point maximum and ensure Panthers got all the match points on the night.
This was an excellent match for sky who was instantly rewarded for a late switch of the scheduled meeting with far and away the best match on television for ages. Peterborough have now got back on the right track after a couple of away disappointments and showed that we still have the ingredients for a title despite losing JBJ.
WOLVERHAMPTON 44 1. Peter Karlsson 2, 2, 3, 2, 2 = 11 2. Magnus Karlsson 1', 1', 2, 1 = 5+2 3. Ronnie Correy 1, 2, 3, 2 = 8 4. Freddie Lindgren F, 1', 2', 1' = 4+3 5. Billy Hamill 1, 2, 2, 0, Fx = 5 6. Ben Wilson R, 0, 1' = 1+1 7. Christian Hefenbrock 3, 3, 1', 1', 2 = 10+2
PETERBOROUGH 46 1. Hans Andersen 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 18 2. Ulrich Ostergaard 0, 0, 0 = 0 3. Ryan Sullivan 2', 3, 0, 3, 1 = 9+1 4. Niels Kristian Iversen 3, 2, 1, 2, 3, 1= 12 5. Jesper B Jensen R/R 6. Richard Hall 2, R, 0, R = 2 7. Karol Zabik 1', 0, 3, 1, Fx, 0 = 5+1
Heat Results Heat 01: Andersen, P Karlsson, M Karlsson, Ostergaard 3-3 Heat 02: Re-runx2 Hefenbrock, Hall, Zabik, Wilson ret 3-3 6-6 Heat 03: Iversen, Sullivan, Correy, Lindgren fell 1-5 7-11 Heat 04: Hefenbrock, Iversen, Hamill, Zabik 4-2 11-13 Heat 05: Andersen, Correy, Lindgren, Ostergaard 3-3 14-16 Heat 06: Andersen, P Karlsson, M Karlsson, Hall ef 3-3 17-19 Heat 07: Sullivan, Hamill, Iversen, Wilson 2-4 19-23 Heat 08: Zabik, M Karlsson, Hefenbrock, Ostergaard 3-3 22-26 Heat 09: Correy, Lindgren, Zabik, Hall 5-1 27-27 Heat 10: P Karlsson, Iversen, M Karlsson, Sullivan 4-2 31-29 Heat 11: Andersen, Hamill, Wilson, Hall ef 3-3 34-32 Heat 12: Re-run Sullivan, Correy, Hefenborck 3-3 37-35 Heat 13: Andersen, P Karlsson, Sullivan, Hamill 2-4 39-39 Heat 14: Iversen, Hefenbrock, Lindgren, Zabik 3-3 42-42 Heat 15: Andersen, Karlsson, Iversen 2-4 44-46
