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Last Updated: Nov 28th, 2010 - 10:22:29 |
Alas, the miracle wasn’t about to unfold for a second time, however there were moments, particularly in the early stages when the Eastbourne ‘Lifestyle’ Eagles looked wholly capable of repeating their epic victory of almost a fortnight earlier as they paid their second visit of the campaign to Peterborough’s East of England Showground on Thursday evening.
In the event however the Sussex side found themselves beaten with something to spare, the Panthers wrapping up the Elite League Play Off place, once comfortable but one that just days earlier had looked to be slipping from their grasp, courtesy of a commanding 57-36, a result that saw them gain vengeance over the team who thanks to a 47-43 travelling victory – Eagles one and only of the campaign and one that also marked Peterborough’s first home reverse of 2010 – had left them bloody nosed and wondering just what had hit them the previous Bank Holiday Monday.
In truth, the first six heats apart, this meeting proved a case of chalk and cheese from the Sussex septet’s first outing at Alwalton and despite Matej Zagar’s attendance, heavy hitters Joonas Kylmakorpi and Simon Gustafsson’s stark turn down in form – a mammoth 22-points less between them than their lofty 29-point haul the first time around – coupled with the Panthers increased supremacy at reserve and rediscovered ability to gate all conspired to construct the final outcome.
The visitors certainly equipped themselves well in the initial exchanges and despite Zagar pulling up with machinery malfunction with less than half a lap completed, Tomasz Jedrzejak certainly provided the travelling supporters with good cheer as he led home both Krzysztof Buczkowski and Kenneth Bjerre to the chequered flag in heat one with some style.
Lukas Dryml repeated the dose in the second, the Czech Republican getting the better of both home reserves Mathieu Tresarrieu and Norbert Kosciuch, however in could have been so much better for Eagles, Ricky Kling’s, who had joined his partner at the front out of the start, only to go alarmingly wide and then subsequently suffer an engine failure at the first bend of lap two.
The scores remained level as Niels Kristian Iversen became the home side’s first man to the post in heat three but behind him however both Gustafsson, who had also led in the early part, and Cameron Woodward stuck doggedly to the cause, blocking out Rory Schlein to peg the scores at 9-points apiece.
The deadlock was finally broken in the next however, the lively Troy Batchelor nipping sharply from the start, his co-worker Kosciuch riding shotgun, and with Kylmakorpi looking far from the rider who had been winning races for fun just ten days earlier, and Kling suffering again with engine problems, the Panthers first 5-1 of the night not only opened up a 4-point advantage but effectively provided the spur to overall victory.
That wasn’t instantly apparent however, Zagar slipping back comfortably into the winning groove, Jedrzejak shadowing the Slovenian with every turn of the wheel to eclipse both Iversen and Schlein and immediately snatching back the maximum, parity being restored at 15-15.
Another tantalising contest looked set to be played out back the Panthers well and truly upped the tempo at that point, back to back 5-1’s in heats 6 and 7 seeing them move 8-points clear (25-17) heading towards the mid way stage and then a further trio of maximum’s amid races 9 to 12 saw them snuff the lights on Eagles lingering challenge, the points difference moving to a massive 22, 47-25 with just three heats remaining on the card.
The Buczkowski / Bjerre double act took no prisoners in heat six, comfortably outpacing Kylmakorpi and Dryml from the start and then Batchelor and Tresarrieu repeated the feat in the next, Gustafsson unable to make any impact while Woodward’s input soon flickered and died, the Eagles skipper seeming to suggest something had displeased him coming out of the start by virtue of his looking up at the referee’s box on the run down the back straight.
Jedrzejak struck another blow with another powerful win to remain unbeaten by an opponent in the eighth and Dryml, who initially shared the 5-1 with his team mate could count himself unfortunate to be overhauled by Buczkowski and Kosciuch in turn, the Czech Republican trying with every fibre of his being to put points on the board for the Eagles.
They could hardly have been prepared for the barrage that was about to follow however as 5-1’s in each of the next two doubled the home lead to 16-points, 38-22, a 4-2 and a further 5-1 in heats 11 and 12 merely piling on the misery for the now punch drunk Eagles, the scores moving to a rather forlorn 47-25 at that stage.
Iversen, continuing a fine run and Schlein, finally discovering some form
kicked off the spree, Kylmakorpi, his third 5-1 reverse in succession and Kling proving the unfortunate recipients of the Peterborough back lash.
Bjerre, his first win of the evening, and Buczkowski continued the trend with maximum points once again in the next though the Pole had to work mighty hard to get the better of the chasing Woodward. Nevertheless 38-22 was now the score and Batchelor, posting a third straight win got the better of Zagar in the eleventh, Tresarrieu muting any benefit that the tactical ride might have gleaned as the black and white adorned Jedrzejak could find no way past.
Schlein and Kosciuch shared a further 5-1 in the twelfth, Dryml and Gustafsson now sadly reduced to the role of also ran though Zagar did sugar coat the pill slightly, his attempt at the tactical ride faring somewhat better, the Slovenian’s 6-point effort ahead of Bjerre coupled with Kylmakorpi’s third place at the expense of the previously unheaded Batchelor earning the 7-2 that reduced the margin to 49-32 as the final brace of races beckoned.
Iversen tamed Woodward once again in the penultimate heat 14 and Dryml might have considered himself fortunate to grab a point for third place after Tresarrieu joined the engine failure club at the fag end of lap four.
Eastbourne hopes of going out on a high were even denied them thereafter, Batchelor proving a comfortable winner of the final countdown and a seemingly bolt on share of the spoils went west for the visitors as Zagar seemed to collide with partner Jedrzejak on the final run in, the Eastbourne number one parting company with his steed, this unfortunate scenario playing into Buczkowski’s hand, the young Pole charging past his unsettled fellow Countryman over the finish line.
Disappointing, yes, however the Eagles had already had their moment, one that in fairness came completely out of the blue, to celebrate at the East of England Showground some ten days earlier. For Peterborough however, it was jubilation all the way, the Panthers now having made certain of Elite League Play Off qualification where they will be joined by runaway section winners, the Poole Pirates, reigning Champions, the Wolverhampton Wolves and final meeting spoilers, Coventry who broke Lakeside hearts, the Bees 53-42 victory over the Dorset outfit being sufficient to bump the Hammers from the Play Off picture.
Panthers : Troy Batchelor 12(5), Krzysztof Buczkowski 11+2(5), Niels-Kristian Iversen 10(4), Kenneth Bjerre 8+2(4), Norbert Kosciuch 6+4(4), Mathieu Tresarrieu 5+1(4), Rory Schlein 5+1(4). – 57
Eagles : Matej Zagar 11(5), Tomasz Jedrzejak 9+1(5), Lukas Dryml 5+1(5), Cameron Woodward 4+1(4), Joonas Kylmakorpi 4(4), Simon Gustafsson 3(4), Ricky Kling 0(3). – 36
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