Devils drubbing puts the Panthers back in top spot

Panthers fans are being seriously spoilt right now.

Not only do they have a team capable of beating any other in the Premier League, but they are also being treated to some of the best racing in living memory on a regular basis.

It’s a diet of impressive success and spectacular entertainme nt, and there was another generous helping of both aspects on Tuesday night when Plymouth became the latest set of highly- touted visitors to head through the East of England Showgroundexithavingbeen emphatically beaten.

Sheffield, Ipswich and Glasgow all knowthatfeeling after being previous victims of a revamped and revitalised Panthers side currently puttingtogetheraseason-defining run of results.

The drubbing of the Devils this week was the latest in a fine line of performances which have established Panthers as bona fide title contenders.

Four of their six riders produced double- figures scores while Emil Grondal was also paid for 11 points as they hopped back into top spot.

Panthers provided 10 of the race- winners and claimed nine heat advantages to ultimately dominate against a Plymouth side who had battled to remain in contention for two-thirds of the contest.

They briefly led courtesy of a 5-1 from the Kurtz brothers – Brady and Todd – in the opener and then trimmed their deficittojustfivepoints when Jack Holder inspired their only other advantage with a 4-2 in heat nine.

Buttheycouldn’t live with Panthers in the final third of themeetingasfivesuccessive gains turned a close contest into one-way traffic.

Admittedly the away side did lose Kyle Newman to a suspected collar-boneinjury after a high-speed spill with Panthers reserve Zdenek Holub in heat seven.

The two men were battling for second spot when colliding whilegoingthrough the final corner, with referee Dave Dowling deeming the home rider to be the cause and excluding him.

The Devils also weren’t helped bynumberoneBrady Kurtz suffering mechanical mishaps as he failed to add any further points to his opening success.

But those things should not detract f rom a power- packed Panthers performance spearheaded by rampantreserveSimonLambert with a 12+2 haul.

Cook went unbeaten by an opponent after bringing up the rear in heat one to add 11+1 while captain Ulrich Ostergaard also contributed 11 points and the back-onsong Nikolaj Busk Jakobsen bagged 10.

Grondal also continued his return to form while Holub again did more than enough to suggest he will be a shrewd capture at reserve with3+2– atallywhichwould have been increased by at least one point had he not tangled with Newman.