Super Heat defeat for plucky Peterborough Panthers, but they pick up their first away Premiership point of the season

The Crendon Panthers became the first side this season to deny the Wolves victory over the programmed 15 races at Monmore Green - but the hosts did win the Super Heat 7-2.

With Wolverhampton having won all seven of their previous Premiership home fixtures and Panthers having lost all eight of theirs on the road, the form book would have suggested the result was a foregone conclusion.

But the Panthers produced a full team effort to move them off two points in the standings - a total they’ve held since beating King’s Lynn at home almost two months ago.

The two sides shared three 5-1s apiece in a gripping opening six races in the West Midlands.

Rising Star Jordan Jenkins and guest reserve Connor Mountain struck an instant reply in Heat Two after the Wolves drew first blood.

And the Panthers then led after Heat Three when Benjamin Basso and Ben Cook made the most of an extra man advantage when Ryan Douglas was excluded for the hosts as he slid off in the initial attempt.

Wolves drew back level before Niels-Kristian Iversen and Richie Worrall combined, again over Luke Becker and Douglas, in Heat Five.

But the scores were again tied as the home side levelled the maximums tally with Vadim Tarasenko still getting to grips with the tight Monmore Green circuit.

Cook and Basso were then split by Zach Cook in the restaging of Heat Seven after Schlein had been excluded from the first attempt and while Wolves again levelled after Heat Nine, the Panthers then stunned the home crowd in the tenth.

Opening Wolves pairing Sam Masters and Steve Worrall have proved one of the strongest partnerships in the league this season - but Basso and Cook flew away from the tapes to record a fourth 5-1 of the night for Peterborough.

That would turn out to be the final race win of the night for the visitors though as the hosts dug deep.

And despite the best efforts of Nielsen and Cook, they couldn’t get the better of Masters and Schlein in Heat 15 or the Super Heat.

But despite missing out on the extra point up for grabs, Cook agreed it was by far the Panthers’ most eye-catching performance of the season so far.

“It was much better from all the boys,” he said.

“I think it surprised us all that we could get it to the last heat decider and then it was a shame we just missed out in the Super Heat.

“The Wolves boys are good around their home track, they’ve done plenty of laps and that makes the result even better for us.

“It hasn’t been easy this season, but we’re all gelling now and if we could continue that, who knows what could happen and how many more meetings we can win.”

The Crendon Panthers now head to Ipswich on Thursday (July 20, 7.30) before hosting King’s Lynn at the East of England Arena next Monday (July 24, 7.30).

WOLVERHAMPTON 45: Sam Masters 10+2, Steve Worrall 10, Luke Becker 8, Rory Schlein 7, Leon Flint 4+1, Ryan Douglas 4, Zach Cook 2.

PETERBOROUGH 45: Ben Cook 10+3, Niels-Kristian Iversen 10, Jordan Jenkins 9+1, Benjamin Basso 7, Richie Worrall 4+3, Vadim Tarasenko 3, Connor Mountain 2+1.

Wolverhampton beat Peterborough 7-2 in Super Heat.