PETERBOROUGH set off for Coventry tonight – their unbeaten home record intact.
And it was an almost perfect send-off for Polish favourite Norbert Kosciuch in his last meeting of the season for the Readypower Panthers.
New signing Michael Jepsen Jensen watched on and then had a practice session at his new home track straight after the 54-40 win over the injury-hit Bees.
While Norbi couldn’t repeat his maximum performance against Wolves he picked up a vital win as Peterborough resisted a late rally by the visitors.
The Panthers were 13 points in front after eight races but Coventry took full advantage of the double points tactical rule to still be in with a chance of a crucial Elite League point going into the last race.
But another maximum – Peterborough’s fifth of the morning – clinched all three points for the Panthers.
Nicki Pedersen, who dropped his only point to guest Daniel King, wrapped up the maximum match points and was followed home in Heat 15 by Linus Sundström who must have delighted the party of 25 guests from his Swedish sponsors who were on a weekend visit to this country.
He again ended up in double figures as he and teenager Kacper Gomolski provided the main support to the skipper, riding despite his knee injury that had threatened to keep him out of Saturday night’s Grand Prix of Poland.
Troy Batchelor, celebrating his 24th birthday, had to lay it down to avoid running into the falling Ryan Fisher in Heat 4 and wasn’t as sharp as he has been lately but he has rarely been at his most sparkling for morning starts.
Team manager Wayne Swales said: “We’ve got the job done this morning but now we have to cash in on the fact Coventry are under strength.
“It may sound harsh but we have to be ruthless and that means going and getting four points tonight. We know we have to win away if we are to make the play-offs and we won’t get a better opportunity than at Brandon this evening.
“We’ve done well there already this season and it’s imperative we go and get some points there tonight.
“Nicki was brilliant, it’s probably the best we have seen him ride at the Showground and it was a real captain’s performance, especially considering he’s not fully fit.”