NEW Peterborough asset Michael Palm Toft has hailed the team spirit at the club this season.
The Dane played a starring role in the T.Balfe Construction Panthers’ triumph at Ipswich last Thursday, which leaves them well placed in their Championship Shield group.
And even though they couldn’t quite carry that on at Lakeside 24 hours later, Palm Toft says it has still been a highly encouraging start to the new campaign.
He said: “I think we surprised a few at Ipswich! I had a really good night, I was making good starts, and the track there was the best I’ve seen it for many years.
“I didn’t really see what they’d done in terms of track changes, it didn’t really affect the way to ride it and you were still taking the same lines.
“But they hadn’t gone overboard with the track preparation by making it really deep or anything like that, and obviously they had a few lads coming back from injuries who need to find their feet.
“I think they were caught out a bit because they hadn’t been on-track much, but we had a really good win and also we had a really good team spirit.
“The guys showed what they are capable of, and even if some of them didn’t have a big score they were still a massive part of the team and were helping each other, which is what you need to win.
“We were in the match too at Lakeside, we kept them close even though I had a really poor meeting, way under my standards. I just couldn’t get things to work, and by the time I did it was too late.
“I’ve been there in the past when I rode for Belle Vue and I think I’ve been there once for King’s Lynn, quite a few years ago now, and it’s a track that suits my style of riding but things just weren’t working for me.
“Next time we go there I know what I’m going to do! I think we should have had a point from Lakeside, but it wasn’t to be.”
Palm Toft knows Panthers face one of their toughest tests of the season when they visit reigning champions Sheffield in their opening league fixture on Thursday.
The Tigers demolished Newcastle 59-31 in their first home match last week with three riders scoring paid maximums – but Panthers will still travel with a positive mindset.
Palm Toft said: “Any team in this league is tough, no matter whether they’re coming to Peterborough or if we’re going away.
“But we’re going there to try to win, that’s what we want to do. The first thing is to look to take a point, and then go from there.”
