It has to be said that 2009, Panthers 40th consecutive year could have started a bit better, this was their fourth meeting and the third at home and they are still to win their first match.
Last weeks defeat at the hands of Coventry was down to poor starting and unfortunately this was more of the same. The inability of the home side to get to the first turn in front or at least on terms with the visitors was very apparent and just two race wins and a 12 point deficit after just seven races called for some drastic action, and that’s what they got.
A short team talk from Promoter Mick Bratley and Team manager Trevor Swales with all 7 Panthers followed and from heat 8 onwards it clearly had an effect.
Ales Dryml who had looked ill at ease in his first two races suddenly found some extra speed in heat 8 and despite duelling with Stuart Robson for the entire race managed to hold on to win, what was even more surprising was Rene Bach outpacing Jonas Davidsson for third place, after the Swede hadn’t dropped a point in his first two races.
Heat 9 arrived with Panthers 10 points behind, Mads Korneliussen was immediately sent out in the white and black and he duly responded with 6 hard earned points after a scrap with Hammers star Kauko Nieminen, Claus Vissing finished a good third and the resulting 7-2 brought the deficit down to 5 points.
Heat 10 with Bjerre and Dryml looked odds on to be a good chance for further success, the fact that Richardson was excluded for a tapes offence and then reinstated of 15 metres didn’t harm that belief, but Kylmakorpi got to the first corner in front and despite Bjerre being all over him for four laps, he was unable to find a way through.
Lakeside looked like increasing there advantage when Shields and Davidsson again made jet propelled starts to lead the 11th, but Iversen had other ideas and after going wide he shot past the pair of them to win his only race of the night.
Richardson made another good start to lead the 12th and Robson looked like joining him until exiting the 2nd bend when he reared up and came of the back of the bike, and he earned the referees praise for clearing his bike off the track and allowing the race to continue.
Heat 13 was always going to be important and Panthers desperately needed a maximum, Bjerre shot away to lead with Shields a close second, Iversen wound it on and got by him between bends 3 and 4, but going wide on at the start of the next lap allowed Shields to pass and despite pressure Iversen was unable to get on level terms again.
3 points down with two races to go left Panthers with it all to do and Claus Vissing who hadn’t up to that point had a particularly good meeting was chasing race leader Kylmakorpi. As they entered bend 3, with little between them Vissing clipped the back wheel of Kylmakorpi and both riders crashed heavily into the air fence. After quite a long delay and during which Referee Jim Lawrence had excluded Vissing and awarded the race 5-1 to Lakeside, both riders were withdrawn, Kylmakorpi with wrist and shoulder injuries and Vissing with concussion.
Bjerre won the final race but Lakeside ensured they took all four points with Richardson and Davidsson taking the minor places.
Team Manager Trevor Swales said: “12 points down after seven heats and gating like we were doing makes it impossible, we ran to many last places and we are not winning enough races, the side was put together over the winter and we believed it was strong, but at the moment we just are not doing it and other than we are not trapping I am at a loss to say why”.
Its still early days and league titles are not usually won in April so time is on their side, but nothing can be taken away from Lakeside, who were deserving winners on the night.