PETERBOROUGH signed off their Premier League campaign in successful style – thanks to a hard-fought 49-40 Sunday success.
The ‘TC Harrison’ Panthers – featuring two guests and also using rider replacement – battled back from seven points adrift to record a rousing victory thanks to five advantages in the final seven races.
Todd Kurtz piled up 13+1 after being borrowed from Somerset for the afternoon while Redcar man Hugh Skidmore contributed a handy nine points, including victory in heat 15 to wrap up all three available league points, after stepping in at short-notice to replace illness victim Lasse Bjerre.
But it was red-hot skipper Ulrich Ostergaard who again spearheaded the Panthers charge with a 15-point haul to continue his fine end-of-season form.
Team boss Carl Johnson said: “I let the riders know that nothing less than three points would do – and we dug deep to get them.
“Rye House started the meeting well, but I didn’t expect them to keep it up. We are a strong team in the second half of meetings and that showed.
“We had guys missing, but Ulrich was against terrific and the two guests both came in and did very good jobs.
“It was important to put in a good performance and get the right result for the supporters.”
Early on Rye House looked on course to repeat their opening-night-of-the-season success at Showground.
Visiting number one Edward Kennett took the flag in three of the first five heats, including when picking the pocket of Skidmore in a re-run match race in the opener after Adam Roynon and Rockets guest Josh Bates had both hit the deck.
High-scoring reserve Luke Bowen also came home in front in two heat advantages for the visitors as they opened up a seven-point cushion.
But back-to-back 5-1s transformed the contest as high-scorers Ostergaard and Kurtz teamed up to good effect in heat nine before Skidmore and Adam Roynon followed suit in the next.
Ostergaard and Skidmore then edged Panthers further ahead with a 4-2 in heat 13 – the latter passing former Peterborough man Ollie Greenwood for third – before victory was secured in the penultimate contest as Kurtz and Max Dilger slammed in a 5-1.
Chosen men Ostergaard and Skidmore had to at least share the spoils in the finale to secure all three league points.
The Dane’s victory combined with Skidmore’s overtaking move on Bowen for third spot ensured they brought the curtain down with a 4-2 as Panthers agonisingly finished one point off the play-off spots.
SCORES
PANTHERS: Ulrich Ostergaard 15, Todd Kurtz (guest) 13+1, Hugh Skidmore (guest) 9, Adam Roynon 8+2, Max Dilger 3+2, Nicki Barrett 1, Rider replacement for Ales Dryml.
RYE HOUSE: Edward Kennett 15, Luke Bowen 8+1, Steve Boxall 7, Jason Garrity 5+2, Oliver Greenwood 4+2, Josh Bates (guest) 1+1, Rider replacement for Anders Mellgren.