IN-PAIN Troy Batchelor got his teeth into Elite League rivals Lakeside – as Peterborough cemented their place in the top four.
The Aussie star roared out of his recent slump with a double figure score as the Readypower Panthers moved five points clear of fifth-placed Belle Vue in the race for an end of season play-off spot.
Batchelor’s 12, paid 13, was his best tally of the season at the East of England Showground as Peterborough picked up another three valuable points with a 56-39 victory, their sixth home win in a row.
The big money winter signing revealed: “I’m only just getting over a virus and now I’ve got toothache!
“I’ve been in quite a bit of pain from it but hopefully I’ll get it sorted out over the next couple of days.”
Batchelor and fellow Aussie racer Rory Schlein – with his third successive double figure total since joining the Panthers from Coventry – provided superb backing for big scoring duo Kenneth Bjerre and Krzysztof Buczkowski.
The Danish number one and the Poland reserve were both unbeaten by an opponent until Lakeside’s Lee Richardson took a Heat 13 victory – one of only three Hammers’ race wins all night.
The Great Britain man’s win also ended Buczek’s dream of a first ever British maximum as he took his average above seven points a meeting in his 12th appearance for the Panthers.
And, for once, he got most of his points with sharp gating although he did produce one trademark ride in which he came from last to first in hair-raising fashion around the boards.
For Bjerre is was another near faultless performance as he reeled off four straight wins before losing out to Richardson.
He was able to take a night of from Heat 15 – by then the points were secure – as he left for an early night in readiness for a dawn flight to Denmark for Saturday night’s Danish Grand Prix.
Peterborough caused early damage with three 5-1s in the opening four races and had done enough for claim all three match points by two races to spare.
Team boss Trevor Swales said: “It was a comfortable win against the team who are second in the table. It was exactly what we wanted and there were good performances from virtually everyone.”
The only rider to miss out on the points spree was new assigning Kamil Brzozowski who again failed to get off the mark in his third meeting for the Panthers.
The Grudziadz rider was still using borrowed equipment but plans to have his own bikes over for Monday night’s trip to Wolverhampton and the Knock Out Cup first leg at Swindon next Thursday.
There was another spirited display from French flyer Mathieu Tresarrieu who is beginning to look like a shrewd early season signing.
He’s averaging over six points a match in his first three outings for the Panthers and appears to have solved the big tail-end weakness.