Peterborough Panthers 54 Ipswich Witches 42A solid looking Panthers team easily accounted for the new look Witches on a track made somewhat difficult early on by a heavy pre meeting shower.

Peterborough Panthers 54 Ipswich Witches 42

A solid looking Panthers team easily accounted for the new look Witches on a track made somewhat difficult early on by a heavy pre meeting shower.

Both teams deserve credit for giving it a go but their were several races where riders found to much grip just when they didn't want it and it made for some interesting corners.

The match was held up for a little while after heat 3 as Peterborough objected to Robert Miskowiak's race win on the grounds that he didn't have a dirt deflector fitted and after providing photographic evidence, the referee Margaret Vardy changed the result of the race with Miskowiak excluded (disqualified) and everyone moved up one respective place.

Panthers had gotten off to a great start in heat 1 with Iversen and Dryml both making good starts and whilst Nicholls chased hard he was never able to get on terms with Dryml.

Bager won the reserves heat whilst Vissing made hard work off coming from the back but took third place off Stachrya on lap two.

Miskowaik blasted away to win the 3rd at the second attempt to run the heat after passing Hansen early on, but their was a short delay before the race result was amended while Pete Simmons the Ipswich manager caused some amusement to the supporters by intimating that Bager had crossed the inner white line in heat 2 during the break.

Batchelor got the better of the fast starting Vissing in four passing him on the back straight, but most eyes were on Bjerre who having lifted early on couldn't seem to find the speed to pass Wilkinson who held him off for the entire race.

Nicholls and Kroner started well in heat 5 and they led until Hansen slipped inside Kroner on the third lap. But another Ipswich 4-2 cut the Panthers lead to 6.

Iversen and Bjerre won the next two heats with Bager surprisingly getting the better of King in heat 7 after they traded places mid race.

Wilkinson got away very quickly in heat 8 but first Dryml and then Vissing reeled him in for a Panthers 5-1 that increased the Panthers lead to 12 points. Not unexpectedly Batchelor had a change of headgear for the 9th with Hansen falling whilst disputing the lead with him and piling into the 4th bend air fence.

With Hansen excluded Batchelor was put under some early pressure from Korneliussen but Ipswich collected a 7-2 to cut the Panthers lead.

King and Miskowiak both started well in heat 10 but Iversen flew around the outside of both of them and was gone with Dryml pegged at the rear and very nearly coming to grief after a Miskowiak manoeuvre, with words being said afterwards.

Bjerre shot away to win the 11th and Bager initially joined him but Nicholls pursued the Panthers reserve and passed him on lap 2 and the last race before the interval saw Miskowiak in the thick of the action again as he disputed the lead with Vissing but the young reserve held on for a superb win.

Nicholls made the start to lead the 13th but was swiftly passed either side by Iversen and Bjerre, they held on to seal the match for the Panthers but Nicholls chased them hard for the entire race.

King took the second tactical in heat 14 and indeed made the most of it, but it was academic at this stage despite Hansen giving chase as the Panthers closed out the match.

Iversen's maximum was ruined in heat 15 but it was an excellent race with all four being involved with several passing and re passing moments. But it was Bjerre who took the race whilst Batchelor and Nicholls squeezed out Iversen.

The new look Witches provided good opposition but Panthers with every rider recording at least a paid win they simply had to much all round fire power for the Witches to handle.