PETERBOROUGH’S play-off hopes are hanging by a thread after a 49-41 home defeat by Wolves.
And Crendon Panthers boss Carl Johnson offered no excuses saying they were beaten by the better side.
The result means Monday’s home clash with Belle Vue takes on added significance as Johnson’s men cannot afford another home setback.
Panthers started fairly brightly with Ty Proctor and then Aaron Summers taking the chequered flag in two shared opening races.
But the visitors produced a damaging spell with five heat advantages in the space of eight races.
There was drama when Charles Wright and Kyle Howarth clashed after Heat Nine - a race which provided just one of two heat advantages for the hosts.
They may have been without injured skipper Hans Andersen, but boss Johnson wasn’t in the mood for excuses. “We can’t just put it down to having a six man team because that shouldn’t really matter with the riders we’ve got,” he said. “They should perform around here like we know they can and we just didn’t get out the gate well enough. “You watch them (Wolves) for the first ten heats or so, they made almost every gate while we missed it. “Even when we did get out in front we were riding one line and tonight you had to be all over the track. “I’ve got no excuses - we were just beaten by the better team. “It was a bad night and we’ve had a few of them here this season - now we have to come back in the next one.”
Panthers are urging fans to turn out in force for Monday’s clash with the Manchester side with Panthers on live TV for the first time in six years.
PETERBOROUGH 41: Rohan Tungate 15+1, Charles Wright 10+1, Aaron Summers 6, Scott Nicholls 4, Josh Bates 3+2, Ty Proctor 3, Hans Andersen R/R. WOLVERHAMPTON 49: Ryan Douglas 12+1, Jacob Thorssell 9, Rory Schlein 7+2, Sam Masters 7+1, Nick Morris 5+1, Kyle Howarth 5, Luke Becker 4+2.