UNDER-THE-WEATHER Rory Schlein overcame a strength-sapping bout of hay fever to keep Peterborough on track towards a play-off spot.
The Australian star turned in an inspirational performance to help the Readypower Panthers pick up another three points with a dramatic 51-42 win over second in the table Lakeside.
Schlein needed medical attention during the meeting but still turned in one of the races of the season, coming from third to first in a thrilling Heat 12.
He squeezed between Hammers’ guest Joonas Kylmåkorpi and in-form reserve Stuart Robson to turn the heat result on its head.
Recent signing Schlein revealed: “I suffer badly from hay fever and I usually have to have an injection to keep me riding.
“Unfortunately my doctor has been on holiday and doesn’t get back until tomorrow.
“I’ve tried all sorts of remedies but the injection is the only thing that seems to work properly.”
There was another stunning show from Panthers’ number one Kenneth Bjerre who zipped through his five races without being beaten by an opponent.
He had to come from the back in two late races against Hammers’ top dog Lee Richardson – making it 29 wins from his last 33 East of England Showground races.
And he was only one tenth of a second outside his own track record as he and Troy Batchelor teamed up for a morale boosting opening race maximum in front of the Sky Sports TV cameras.
Frenchman Mathieu Tresarrieu continued his fine form in the reserves’ race with another win and early 5-1s from Schlein and Krzysztof Buczkowski and then Bjerre and Batchelor again out the Panthers 12 points up after only six races.
But Lakeside immediately clawed back more than half that deficit with Adam Shields taking a winning tactical ride and Kylmåkorpi following him home for an 8-1.
When Norbert Kosciuch overtook Kauko Nieminen in Heat 8 – won by Batchelor – the gap widened again to seven points.
The winning margin alternated between nine and five over a string of dramatic heats and going into the last race the visitors needed to gain an advantage to claim a match point.
But Bjerre, who sealed things with a five-ride paid maximum and with Schlein picking up the third place the Panthers ran out winners by nine points.
The victory cemented Peterborough's fourth place in the Elite League table five points ahead of fifth-placed Belle Vue and only four behind Lakeside.
