Peterborough 57 Lakeside 36

PETERBOROUGH gave their post-season hopes a big boost with a bumper win against play-off rivals Lakeside at the Showground.

The victory and the three Elite League points moves the Readypower Panthers above the Essex side in the table and they are now hot on the heals of Birmingham who have moved into fourth place in the past couple of days.

It was a good all-round team performance with the Panthers winning a lot of their points from behind and they will be looking for more of the same when third-placed Eastbourne are in town on Monday.

Krzysztof Buczkowski was again in stunning home form with 13+3, but the Pole had good backing all down the order. The pick of the bunch was Tomas H Jonasson bagging 11+1 from the reserve berth and Ryan Sullivan experiencing a great home-coming with 10+2.

Panthers always looked in command throughout despite a brief mid-meeting fightback from the Hammers. Norbert Koscuiuch and Sullivan both passed Ryan Fisher for a 5-1 in Heat 1, and Richard Lawson and Jonasson then made a flying start for maximum points in Heat 2.

Jonasson and Buczkowski both then stormed past Robert Mear in Heat 4 for another 5-1, but Lakeside did reply with a maximum of their own moments later to reduce the home lead to 18-12.

Heat 7 saw Lakeside’s guest ex-Panther Lasse Bjerre surprisingly passing Buczkowski for the lead and Fisher was third so the visitors picked up a 4-2.

Hammers reserve Justin Sedgmen was first from the tapes in Heat 9, but in a dramatic last bend both Harris and Buczkowski passed the Australian and the resulting 5-1 put Peterborough 31-23 ahead.

Sullivan stormed to his first race win back in Panthers colours in Heat 10 and Kosciuch had a good four-lap battle with Bjerre before joining his team-mate on the last bend for another five-pointer.

The home deficit was reduced again with a 7-2 in Heat 11 when Davey Watt (tactical ride) beat Buczkowski and Mear defeated Lawson for third place.

But that was a close as the visiting Hammers were to get with Peterborough outscoring them 19-5 in the final four races, which included Buczkowski and Sullivan rounding off a great evening with a big 5-1 over Watt and Bjerre in Heat 15.

PETERBOROUGH 57: Krzysztof Buczkowski 13+3, Tomas H Jonasson 11+1, Ryan Sullivan 10+2, Norbert Kosciuch 8+2, Richard Lawson 5+1, Michael Jepsen Jensen R/R.

LAKESIDE 36: Davey Watt 10, Lasse Bjerre 8+1, Robert Mear 6, Ryan Fisher 5, Scott Nicholls 5, Justin Sedgmen 2, Jonas Davidsson R/R.