A tough trip as Panthers visit table-topping Rebels

Panthers will tomorrow night (Friday) attempt to succeed where all before them have failed.
Craig Cook misses the trip to Somerset.Craig Cook misses the trip to Somerset.
Craig Cook misses the trip to Somerset.

The city side go to Premier League leaders Somerset, a team still boasting a 100 per cent record after 11 league meetings.

It is a sparkling run which has seen the Rebels roar to the second-tier summit despite having ridden at least three fewer meetings than the other five sides currently in the play-off spots.

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Panthers are without number one Craig Cook for the trip to the Oaktree Arena due to an Elite League fixture clash. Newcastle man Matej Kus is the guest stand-in.

But Cook returns for a reunion against his former club at the East of England Showground on Sunday.

Edinburgh Monarchs, the team he helped to back-to-back titles in the last couple of years, provide the opposition as Panthers interrupt a long run of away clashes with a home outing (5pm).

Promoter Ged Rathbone said: “We managed to pick up four points from two meetings last week and we would be more than happy with the same return again.

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“We know all about the strength and quality of Somerset after the won at our place in the league and beat us in both legs of our KO Cup quarter-final.

“Our record against them has to change at some point and we’ll go there with the intention of ruining their unbeaten record.

“We’ll approach it just as we did the two away meetings at Sheffield and Workington last week.

“A point is the goal and anything else is a bonus.

“We’re in a difficult run of away meetings and that means it is vital we take advantage of the home clash against Edinburgh.

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“They are another side gunning for a play-off spot and we need to get the win. We can’t slip up at home again.”

FREE ENTRY

Panthers are offering free entry packages to local junior sports teams to all three of their home meetings during August – the Edinburgh clash this weekend, a date against Newcastle on August 26 and the visit of Redcar on Bank Holiday Monday, August 29.

Any teams interested in taking up the offer can make contact by email to [email protected], or through the club’s Twitter and Facebook accounts.