Morale boosting win for Peterborough Panthers, but they bowed out of the KO Cup

Skipper Chris Harris put on a sensational show for the Crendon Panthers with Ben Cook superb at reserve, but the Witches’ first leg advantage proved enough to take them into the Final against Sheffield.

Unfortunately it was far from a dream debut for new signing Artem Laguta who was clearly lacking speed, which will hopefully be corrected when Panthers host Wolverhampton on Thursday.

But despite Laguta’s last place in Heat 1, Harris took the scalp of Emil Sayfutdinov, and a smart ride by Cook in Heat 2 saw him pass Danyon Hume and put Panthers ahead on the night.

Benajmin Basso and Vadim Tarasenko made the start in Heat 3, but were split by Danny King but a fine win for Niels-Kristian Iversen over Jason Doyle in the next made it three successive 4-2s.

Panthers’ momentum was ended, though, when Sayfutdinov and Erik Riss inflicted a 5-1 over Tarasenko and Basso in Heat 5 which all but ended any aggregate hopes, despite a spectacular Harris effort to sweep past Doyle on the second lap of Heat 6.

Keynan Rew took Heat 7 with Iversen getting the better of King in a tough scrap for second place, and four successive 3-3s followed as Panthers maintained a narrow two-point lead on the night.

That included a typically classy ride by Sayfutdinov in Heat 11 to make it back around Cook and Iversen, which took the Witches to within one race of securing qualification.

That was ensured in Heat 12 although Panthers took a 4-2 as Cook got the better of King on the last bend with a great ride – but Doyle and Sayfutdinov raced to their trademark 5-1 in Heat 13 to make it 39-39.

Panthers responded, though, with a super 5-1 of their own from Basso and Cook in Heat 14, and with the Witches resting Sayfutdinov from Heat 15 it was Harris who supplied the thrills again with another brilliant ride to pass Doyle off the last bend, whilst Cook provided third place.

Panthers boss Rob Lyon said: “With a six-point lead after four races I thought we could chip away and possibly have a chance of going through.

“Unfortunately they got a 5-1 in Heat 5 which was the turning point, and they kept themselves in the match enough to get the overall victory.

“But from our point of view it’s another win, which is good for the fans and for morale – and if we can get four more like that, it will be a case of what might have been if we’d had this type of team from the start of the season.

“It was the Bomber of old tonight, and we still know what he’s capable of at 40 years of age. He can still turn it on, that’s the way he is, and it was a great performance.”

PETERBOROUGH 48: Chris Harris 13+1, Ben Cook 12+1, Benjamin Basso 7+1, Niels-Kristian Iversen 7+1, Vadim Tarasenko 5, Jordan Jenkins 3, Artem Laguta 1.

IPSWICH 42: Jason Doyle 12, Emil Sayfutdinov 10+1, Danny King 7, Erik Riss 6+2, Keynan Rew 5+1, Danyon Hume 2, Ashton Boughen 0.

Ipswich win 99-81 on aggregate