Peterborough Panthers v Leicester Lions

IPSWICH are celebrating having secured the final Sports Insure Premiership play-off place – thanks to a huge favour from local rivals Peterborough.

The Panthers raced to a huge 58-32 win over Leicester at the East of England Arena on Thursday, denying the Lions the aggregate point they needed to move back ahead of the Witches into fourth spot.

Leicester had taken a 24-point lead into the meeting and remarkably the aggregate position was level with one heat remaining – and with tension high, Artem Laguta completed a paid maximum for the Panthers whilst team-mate Vadim Tarasenko overtook Richard Lawson on the third lap to resolve the issue without the need for a Super Heat.

Disappointed Leicester boss Stewart Dickson said: “I said before the meeting that we couldn’t afford to let them get off to a flying start, the momentum would be high in their pits.

“I’m not going to have a pop at my riders, they gave everything all season and they’re all very disappointed, as the supporters are and I went over and spoke to them after Heat 15.

“I’m disappointed myself – we wanted to get into the play-offs, of course we did, although you have to say on tonight’s performance we didn’t deserve it.

“But we’ve still had a good season. It’s been difficult at times, and unfortunately we just ran out of steam at the vital time.”

Panthers manager Rob Lyon said: “The first main focus was to win the meeting to continue this winning run we’ve been on, and that was the main focal point.

“We did make it a point that Leicester needed to get into the play-offs, and to make it right for every team we needed to be out there fighting for every point, and they were all fully aware of the situation.

“If we’d started with this team I think it would have been a play-off team, it would have been a possible championship winning team – but that’s not happened, it’s hindsight and we are where we are. Our focus was to win the majority of our remaining matches with this team, and I think we’ve pretty much done that.”

PETERBOROUGH 58: Artem Laguta 14+1, Vadim Tarasenko 13, Niels-Kristian Iversen 10+2, Benjamin Basso 8+2, Jordan Jenkins 5+3, Ben Cook 5, Chris Harris 3.
LEICESTER 32: Max Fricke 11, Justin Sedgmen 7+1, Lewis Kerr 6+1, Richard Lawson 5+1, Jake Allen 2, Drew Kemp 1+1, Richie Worrall r/r.
Peterborough win the aggregate point

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Photo credit: JEFF DAVIES