PETERBOROUGH team boss Carl Johnson had no complaints after a late collapse led to a fourth successive SGB Championship defeat.
The ‘T Balfe Construction’ Panthers were on the receiving end of a 4-2 and three 5-1s in the final four races when losing 53-37 at Scunthorpe on Sunday.
Peterborough looked set to challenge for victory – or at the very least collect a consolation league point – until being unable to live with their hosts in the closing stages.
“We lost our way late on,” admitted Johnson. “We went from only being two points down after heat 11 to losing by 16.
“We rode very well for much of the meeting, but Scunthorpe gated better in the final few races and got their rewards.
“We thought we were in a position to pick up an away win, but that quickly disappeared along with our hopes of getting a point.
“We came away with nothing in the end and we can’t really have any complaints."
It was a solid, rather than spectacular, display from Peterborough for most of the Eddie Wright Raceway contest.
Paul Starke and skipper Ulrich Ostergaard led the way with eight points apiece, while guest number one Thomas Jorgensen contributed seven at a track he used to ride regularly.
Reserve Simon Lambert was also paid for seven points, but finished the meeting in discomfort from the wrist he injured - and underwent surgery on – a couple of months ago.
And Johnson also fears Bradley Wilson-Dean may have aggravated the hand problem, which caused him to miss the club’s recent Northern tour, when tumbling out of heat 14.
Peterborough are back in action on Thursday (August 24) when facing an East Anglian derby test at title-chasing Ipswich.
SCORES
SCUNTHORPE: Josh Auty 17, Ryan Douglas 13+1, Lewis Kerr 9+1, Michael Palm Toft 6+1, Tero Aarnio 5+3, Josh Bailey 3, Rider replacement for Jake Allen.
PETERBOROUGH: Paul Starke 8, Ulrich Ostergaard 8, Thomas Jorgensen (guest) 7, Simon Lambert 6+1, Tom Bacon 4+3, Bradley Wilson-Dean 4+1, Connor Coles (guest) 0.