Peterborough Panthers are ready for another Sunday showdown in the play-offs

Panthers had expected to be staging the second leg of their semi-final tie, but Saturday’s wet weather put paid to that with the scheduled fixture at Hoddesdon an early casualty.

Panthers will now travel to Hertfordshire next Sunday (October 14, 2pm), and will be desperately keen to take a lead with them into that meeting.

They have defeated Lakeside in all four of the Hammers’ previous visits to the East of England Arena this season – twice by scores of 52-38, and twice by scores of 46-44.

Clearly a result of the order of the former would be far more preferable, and that depends on Panthers providing the race wins to control the in-form Hammers heat-leaders, as well as holding sway in the lower order.

Scunthorpe’s Steve Worrall takes the guest booking at No.1 in place of Scott Nicholls, with Jordan Stewart in for Tom Bacon at reserve. Emil Grondal returns to the middle order, and rider-replacement is again Panthers’ only option to cover for the injured Bradley Wilson-Dean.

The Hammers’ side is far more recognisable than their team from last Sunday’s Championship Shield clash, with Zach Watjkencht back from injury whilst Lakeside regulars Ben Morley and Alfie Bowtell – who finished one-two in the National League Riders’ Championship – at reserve.

It’s a massive night for Panthers as they bid to keep their title hopes alive having topped the regular-season table, and they are determined to erase the memories of Friday’s KO Cup defeat at Scunthorpe.

PETERBOROUGH: Steve Worrall, Bradley Wilson-Dean r/r, Emil Grondal, Ulrich Ostergaard, Michael Palm Toft, Jordan Stewart, Simon Lambert.

LAKESIDE: Richard Lawson, Zach Wajtknecht, Adam Ellis, Kyle Newman, Nick Morris, Ben Morley, Alfie Bowtell.