Title-winning Peterborough Panthers hero is back for a Bank Holday clash with Leicester Lions

Palm Toft, a key rider in the memorable 2021 campaign, will take on the troubled number one position at the East of England Arena as Panthers have still to confirm a permanent man for the role.

Palm Toft scored 13 points against Panthers for King’s Lynn Stars last week. The Lions will be without their Panthers title-winning star as Chris Harris is on Grand Prix qualification duty in Germany. Sheffield’s Kyle Howard guests in his place.

A fixture switch has meant the Lions make the short trip to Alwalton rather than original opponents Sheffield, and the aggregate point is also in play.

Panthers went down to a narrow 47-42 defeat in wet conditions in the East Midlands back in April, so a win by six or more on Monday would see them take the maximum available on the night.

And they also have a full seven-rider line-up available for the meeting with Richie Worrall returning from a shoulder injury, having proved his fitness in a guest appearance for Edinburgh on Friday.

Elsewhere, a change to the riding order sees Ben Cook move up into the main body of the team as he has now achieved an average in the top league – with that figure boosted by his sensational 16+2 haul in last week’s win over King’s Lynn.

Cook moves to No.2 and exchanges places with skipper Hans Andersen who drops to reserve alongside Jordan Jenkins, who is statistically the most successful ‘Rising Sta’r in the league so far this season.

Opponents Leicester have made a solid start to life in the top-flight and ran Ipswich close at Foxhall on Thursday, taking the Witches right down to a last heat decider.

The Lions expect to welcome back the in-form Richard Lawson after he missed the Ipswich match following a crash the previous Monday, and they also include Grand Prix star Max Fricke at No.1.

Panthers co-promoter Carl Johnson said: “It was a great feeling last week to finally get that first home win in what has been an exceptionally long time, and put some points on the board.

“We are still looking for that elusive No.1 rider and if things work the way they should this week, we may have someone in place before next Monday’s meeting against Wolverhampton.

“Now for this meeting against Leicester we need to knuckle down and get the home victory we need.”

PETERBOROUGH: Michael Palm Toft, Ben Cook, Benjamin Basso, Richie Worrall, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Hans Andersen, Jordan Jenkins.

LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Justin Sedgmen, Richard Lawson, Kyle Howarth, Nick Morris, Jake Allen, Dan Thompson.