Panthers enjoying life at the top as in-form Ostergaard gets set for a rapid promotion

Peterborough Panthers boss Rob Lyon has made the best use of a clear week as his side looks down on the rest of the Premiership.
Ulrsih Ostergaard leads the way for Panthers at King's Lynn. Jordan Palin (white helmet) is also pictured. Photo: Derek Leader.Ulrsih Ostergaard leads the way for Panthers at King's Lynn. Jordan Palin (white helmet) is also pictured. Photo: Derek Leader.
Ulrsih Ostergaard leads the way for Panthers at King's Lynn. Jordan Palin (white helmet) is also pictured. Photo: Derek Leader.

An emphatic victory last time out at local rivals King’s Lynn moved Panthers four points ahead of Belle Vue. The Aces can draw level with a big win at Ipswich tonight (Thursday), although they are unlikely to overhaul the Alwalton men on race points.

With six successive wins, and 10 away points already in the bag, Panthers are already in the box-seat to extend their season into the play-offs, but Lyon, as ever, plans to analyse and improve ahead of the resumption.

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Lyon said: “I wouldn’t say we’ve been full-on, but we’ve been racing at home every Monday along with away matches on some Thursdays, so this week has been our chance to take stock and then get ready to go again against Sheffield next Monday.

Hans Andersen (yellow helmet) and Bjarne Pedersen (white) in action for Panthers at King's Lynn. Photo: Derek Leader.Hans Andersen (yellow helmet) and Bjarne Pedersen (white) in action for Panthers at King's Lynn. Photo: Derek Leader.
Hans Andersen (yellow helmet) and Bjarne Pedersen (white) in action for Panthers at King's Lynn. Photo: Derek Leader.

“All of the boys are riding elsewhere of course, but it’s been nice to have a bit of a break. I know I keep saying it’s early days, but we’re not yet halfway through the regular season in terms of matches, and there’s such a long way to go.

“We all know how speedway can turn so we’ve just got to keep the boys going, keep them out of trouble and keep on plugging away with getting these wins.”

Lyon has fascinating selection decisions to make for next week in terms of riding order, as the in-form Ulrich Ostergaard is set to vault all the way from reserve to the number one position.

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And that also means Chris Harris is likely to spend the next three matches at reserve under the rolling averages format which still includes several results from 2019.

Harris and skipper Scott Nicholls, who both show as 5.81, are remarkably split by a figure less than 0.0005!

That will lead to a re-jig of the main body of the team for the first time, but Lyon says the attitude of the side is best summed up by the recovery of Hans Andersen at King’s Lynn, who started with two last places, but was then unbeaten in his remaining two rides.

Lyon added: “It just proves the old saying, form is temporary, class is permanent!

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“But really it’s the benefit of experience. They’ve all been there in those situations before, so they dig deep, they think about what’s going on, and they work it out.

“Hans worked it out at King’s Lynn, and that shows you the difference. He got firing, and we became a really solid outfit again.”

Panthers are next in action at home to Sheffield on Monday (July 12. 7.30pm).