PETERBOROUGH finally booked their place in the Elite League play-offs – at the second time of asking!
The Readypower Panthers clinched third place in the table on Thursday night’s cut-off date with a storming 57-36 win over bogy side Eastbourne.
It was an ideal way to prepare for Monday night’s (September 13, 7.30pm) play off semi final first leg at Coventry.
Top of the table Poole had originally picked Peterborough as their last four opponents – but voted against the thought of travelling to the East of England Showground at the semi final stage.
Instead they have chosen to take on second-in-the-table Wolverhampton, leaving the Panthers to take on Coventry.
The second leg will be at Peterborough on Monday, September 20 (7.30 pm).
Peterborough thought they had already made sure of a top four finish with their dramatic win at Lakeside on Monday night.
Even though it was officially announced that the Hammers’ result at Swindon on Thursday night would not count because they would have raced one match more than either the Panthers or Coventry that decision was reversed.
It left Peterborough facing a nerve-jangling final regular season home match against a side that had beaten them three times out of three this season.
And, for a while, it looked as if it might be four defeats in a row against the Eagles with the scores locked 15-15 after five races.
But a convincing maximum from Kenneth Bjerre and Krzysztof Buczkowski in Heat 6 was the catalyst for a powerful finale, five of the Panthers being paid for double figures.
It was a night when the Polish pair of Buczkowski and reserve Norbert Kosciuch came good – rattling up 17, paid 23, between them.
With Troy Batchelor reeling off four wins from five starts it was a superb showing of all-round strength which made it all the more difficult for home fans to understand how the Sussex side had ended Peterborough’s unbeaten home record on August Bank Holiday Monday.
Swales said: “We asked for a big show as we prepare for the semi finals and that’s exactly what we got. We got better and better the longer the meeting went and it was exactly what we were looking for.
“We got rid of all those gremlins and hoodoos of the last couple of home matches.