THE Buildbase Bees went down by 13-points on a stormy night in more ways than one at the East of England Showground.

Denied the chance to use new signing Hans Andersen against his former club, Bees were always going to find it tough against a team built to the new limit of 42 points whereas their own remained bound by the initial constraints.

Despite this, the visitors made a more than encouraging start by moving into a 12-6 lead with Olly Allen especially impressive and Ben Barker and Rory Schlein both winning their opening rides.

However, the Panthers got back into contention as their new signings got to grips with conditions - and the meeting did provide some fine racing on a track which was well-prepared, especially given the lack of time available to do so.

Maximum points in Heat 7 put the home side in front for the first time and there was then a succession of shared heats with Chris Harris keeping the Bees in touch with a last-gasp pass on Daniel King in Heat 11.

Schlein was fortunately uninjured in a Heat 12 spill, Panthers' Claus Vissing also crashing in an unrelated incident, but the home side ensured a rather flattering final margin with 5-1s in the last two races to open up their lead.

Bees boss Peter Oakes said: "We always seem to make a good start here but then struggle a little as the track slickens off, but I thought it was a good, fighting performance.

"Had we been able to go ahead with the team we wanted to put out, I'm sure we would have won it, and maybe that lack of the big, big hitter was shown up again.

"The biggest consolation is that we go away thinking that although we've made a harsh decision, it's the right one to make to bring in a rider of Hans' ability and status.

"But you can only admire Rory Schlein's attitude because it would have been easy for him to trail round at the back in four races and he didn't do that, he put himself about and rode as hard as he could.

"We have the utmost respect for that, and he is purely a victim of the regulations - and he is one of only two riders we could leave out to bring Hans in without making absolutely sweeping changes."

PETERBOROUGH 51: Kenneth Bjerre 12+1, Ryan Sullivan 12, Daniel King 8, Henning Bager 7+3, Claus Vissing 4+3, Karol Zabik 4+1, Lukas Dryml 4.

BUILDBASE BEES 38: Chris Harris 9+2, Olly Allen 8, Simon Stead 7+1, Rory Schlein 6, Ben Barker 6, Billy Janniro 2+1, Andreas Messing 0.