PETERBOROUGH powered into a share of Premier League Cup Southern Group leadership thanks to their biggest away success for 12 years.
The Readypower Panthers blitzed Plymouth Devils 57-36 at the St Boniface Arena tonight (April 10) to extend their winning streak to three meetings
It was a dominant display from start to finish with the visitors providing no fewer than 13 heat winners as they claimed 10 heat advantages.
Captain Ulrich Ostergaard top-scored with 13 points while teen ace Robert Lambert only saw his hopes of a first maximum at Premier League level dashed in the finale.
Guest number one Lasse Bjerre made a prolific return to Panthers colours and Lewis Blackbird collected two race wins.
Just as pleasing was the combined haul of paid 11 points from reserves Ollie Greenwood and Simon Lambert with a best display of the season to date from the former.
In fact the only time Plymouth offered any resistance was when Jack Holder successfully completed a tactical-ride mission in heat eight to earn the hosts a 7-2 - their sole advantage of the entire night.
“It was an awesome performance,” boasted Panthers team boss Carl Johnson. “We went to Plymouth with the intention of winning and we laid down a marker immediately.
“We were terrific from start to finish and it is another message sent out to the rest of the teams in the Premier League.
“Ulrich had his best meeting of the season and Robert was excellent again. He was desperate to ride in heat 15 rather than sit on his maximum, but there was a long delay after a crash in heat 14 and that counted against him.
“Everyone from one to seven contributed good points and that is what you need to win on the road.
“It has been a brilliant week with two victories on Easter Monday and another tonight. Now it is a case of keeping this cracking form going.”
Bjerre beat fellow Peterborough team member of 2014, Ryan Fisher, to win the opener and Michael Palm Toft’s third spot ensured they hit the front.
And Panthers never looked back as their cushion grew to 14 points after just seven races.
Plymouth did hit back with a Holder-inspired 7-2 in heat eight, but Panthers were soon back in command with a run of five successive heat advantages, including in the re-run of heat 14 when Plymouth lost reserve Sam Chapman to a hand injury after a spill with team-mate Sam Simota.
Panthers' hot streak only came to an end in the finale when Ostergaard took the chequered flag to register his fourth success of the evening, but youngster Lambert was kept at the back by Holder and Morten Risager.
It was still a best success on the road since a 57-33 drubbing of Ipswich in the Elite League back in 2003 and Panthers’ haul of four league points in Devon moves them level at the head of the Southern Group standings with Somerset and Rye House. The Rebels beat the Rockets tonight.
Panthers are back in action on Sunday (April 12, 3pm) when they host Plymouth for a return clash at the East of England Showground.
SCORES
PLYMOUTH: Jack Holder 14, Morten Risager 8+1, Sam Simota 8, Ashley Morris 3+2, Ryan Fisher 2, Sam Chapman 1, Rider replacement for Kyle Newman.
READYPOWER PANTHERS: Ulrich Ostergaard 13, Robert Lambert 11+1, Lasse Bjerre 10+1, Lewis Blackbird 8, Oliver Greenwood 6+1, Michael Palm Toft 6, Simon Lambert 3+1.