Following meetings abandoned due to the weather the Bees finally began their Elite League campaign away at Peterborough's East of England showground this morning.
In what is hoped isn't a precursor for the season, the first heat saw Bees rider Christian Hefenbrock injured after colliding heavy with the air fence, the impact sending the bike over the top of the fence. The medical staff at the track put a splint onto Christian's ankle before being taken to hospital for further checks, thus leaving the Bees a rider down and the reserves to cover the absence of Christian.
The re-run rsulted in a drawn heat with heat wins traded over the following two races.
Whilst the Panthers gained a maximum heat win in heat 4 to give then a 4 point lead, the Bees held the match scores close over the next few races with the scoreline at the heat 10 point being 31-29 to the Panthers.
Sadly for the Bees the latter half of the meeting was where the match went away from them, as the Panthers followed up a heat 11 4-2 with a maximum 5-1 in heat 12 to make the score 40-32.
Heat 13 is usually a cracker and this time the Bees gained their only 5-1 of the meeting as Chris Harris led the way, with Rory Schlein managing to work his way to second place.
Sadly the Bees hopes of taking the match to a last heat decider were dashed in heat 14, as the Panthers duo made the start and led all the way, with the Bees pairing of Ben Barker and Josh Auty unable to make any impression.
A final 4-2 in heat 15 gave the match scoreline of Peterborough 50 Coventry 40, and weather permitting the return match will be at Brandon tonight at 7.45pm.
The Bees scorers were:-
1. Chris Harris..................2, 3, 2, 3, 2 = 12
2. Christian Hefenbrock N = 0 Withdrawn
3. Edward Kennett...........3, 3, 1', 1 = 8+1
4. Ben Barker...................1, 1, 2, 1 = 5
5. Rory Schlein.................R, 2, 3, 2', 0 = 7+1
6. Josh Auty....................1', 2, 1', 1', 0, 0, 0 = 5+3
7. Filip Sitera...................0, 1, F, 2, 0 = 3