SOMERSET 59, PETERBOROUGH 25 (abandoned after heat 14 due to rain – Somerset 3pts, Panthers 0pts).
PETERBOROUGH crashed to their heaviest defeat of the season at the hands of table-topping reigning champions Somerset tonight (Friday).
The ‘TC Harrison’ Panthers were only able to provide two heat winners and claim one heat advantage as they were well beaten in the Oaktree Arena rain which eventually forced the meeting to be cut one race short.
Reserve Nicki Barrett and number one Lasse Bjerre were the men to take the chequered flag – the latter triumph arriving as Panthers collected the most fortunate of 5-1s in heat 11.
Rebels man Olly Allen was a clear leader of that race until pulling up leaving the final bend of lap three after spotting a red light which had come from a camera in the crowd.
By that point Panthers fate had already been sealed as both their tactical ride attempts – from Ales Dryml in heat six and skipper Ulrich Ostergaard in heat 10 failed.
Neither rider could beat one of their opponents and both races featured among the eight 5-1s managed by the hosts.
Ostergaard was the only Panthers rider to score in all four of his rides and top-scored on six. A third place for Max Dilger in heat 12 ensured all members of the team managed at least a point.
But it was still a hugely disappointing outcome at a track where Peterborough claimed a cracking draw earlier in the season.
However, only three members of the team - Ostergaard, Bjerre and Dryml - which held the Rebels 45-45 in a League Cup fixture back in April remain.
Panthers remain eight points off the Premier League play-off spots with plenty of meetings in hand on all seven of the teams currently above them in the standings.
They return to action on Tuesday (September 2) for a home double-header against Scunthorpe and Plymouth at the East of England Showground (7pm).
SCORES
SOMERSET: Pontus Aspgren 14+1, Nick Morris 11+1, Todd Kurtz 10+3, Charles Wright 10+2, Olly Allen 8, Paul Starke 6+3, Rider replacement for Brady Kurtz.
‘TC HARRISON’ PANTHERS: Ulrich Ostergaard 6, Nicki Barrett 5, Lasse Bjerre 5, Adam Roynon 3+1, Richard Hall 3+1, Ales Dryml 2, Max Dilger 1+1.