Tigers narrowly miss out on win against the Panthers

dirtbikenewseditor October 27, 2025 in Speedway - 5 Minutes

It was a night when the sport of Speedway was the winner as the recently revived Mildenhall Fen Tigers celebrated the club’s Golden Anniversary under the West Row lights and in front of a 700+ crowd which brought memories back of so many great nights over the past 50 years.

That the visitors on Saturday (25/10) night were the Peterborough Panthers added poignancy, reflecting both past and present – the side from over the county border in Cambs having been one of the first and most enduring rival teams to visit West Row over the years and now being locked themselves in a struggle to regain their own home circuit. Boosted by the good news earlier in the week of the City Council denying Planning Consent for the historic East of England Showground to be redeveloped for housing, the Peterborough faithful turned up in large numbers to swell the crowd on this hugely memorable night – and they’d have gone home in even more of a celebratory mood after the Panthers snatched a last gasp victory to take the Simon Barton Memorial Trophy by 46 points to 44.

If ever the expression, it was a match of two halves applied to a Speedway meeting it was most certainly this: the homesters dominating the opening salvoes and pulling ahead into a 12 points advantage after heat eight; only to see that lead pegged back and then the visitors delivering a coup de gras with four heat advantages in the final six heats to take victory by two points.

The racing was of the highest standard with the big two for the Panthers, both multi-British Finalists Simon Lambert and Paul Starke engaged in some titanic clashes with the hosts’ three heat leaders, Ben Morley, Connor Coles and the ever exciting James Shanes.

It was Shanes who seemed destined to lower the colours of Lambert in heat four – holding off the vastly-experienced Peterborough man for three and a half laps before near calamity going down the back straight for a final time and hitting the fence. Somehow Shanes kept on his bike but it was enough to Lambert to pass him and grab a 3-3. By this point a heat two 5-1 courtesy of Morley and skipper Sam Woods and then an excellent race win for Coles over Starke had seen the Fen Tigers into a six point lead and that became 12 when Coles and Shanes combined for a maximum in heat eight.

The de facto halfway point reached and all seemed set fair for a Mildenhall victory.

Photo Credit – Jeff Higgott Photography

Both teams by this point were depleted – for the Fen Tigers the unfortunate Kenzie Cossey had crashed out on practice before the start, taken to hospital with a finger injury which will require an operation; and then was quickly followed into the medical room by the visitors’ Jamie Etherington after a knock to the head suffered in his first outing.

An unfortunate mechanical breakdown in heat seven by Arran Butcher seemed to be summing up the ex-Fen Tiger now riding for Peterborough rider’s night – but how he was to turn things around in the Panthers’ epic comeback.

The 15 metre handicap rule which a side trailing by six or more after heat nine can utilise under the NORA racing format was deployed by visiting Team Manager Carl Johnson, meaning Coles couldn’t split Lambert and Butcher. Arran then combined with Luke Harris in heat 13 for a 5-1 which levelled the scores before the man from Leicestershire now clearly dialled in, took a vital race win over Shanes in the penultimate heat in the second fastest race time of the night to put his side ahead for the first time in the match. Woods’ unfortunate tumble in that heat 14 was to prove decisive – because though track record holder (lowering his own previous best time) Morley finally did end Lambert’s up to then unbeaten run, it wasn’t enough to prevent Peterborough taking it by 46 to 44.

Speaking on behalf of the Mildenhall Speedway Supporters Community Trust [MSSCT] who now run the sport at West Row, co-ordinator Steve Ribbons commented,

“Saturday night, under the lights, was a fantastic meeting for both the Peterborough and Mildenhall fans – I’m happy (because as a Community Trust we are totally transparent about all details) to reveal that we had 562 paying adults plus 141 youngsters under 16 and then there were the guests of our very generous meeting sponsor – so well over 700 packed into the Stadium to enjoy the proceedings.

“There was some fantastic racing between experienced and professional racers such as Morley, Coles, Lambert, Shanes and Starke, with Morley lowering his own track record. All performing on a track which was universally praised.”

Ribbons continued,

“This exciting meeting brings Mildenhall’s short but sweet season to an end and what a triumph it was to celebrate 50 years of racing at the circuit in such style. As to next year, well, all bets are off as it’s going to be a long winter that’s for sure; but be assured, the Trustees and all our supporters are determined to build on this and keep working for a great future for the sport in the Fens”.

Mildenhall Fen Tigers 44

James Shanes 12 +1; Kenzie Cossey IRR; Ben Morley 14+1; Sam Woods 4+2; Connor Coles 11+1; Seth Norman 3

Peterborough Panthers 46

Simon Lambert 17; Arran Butcher 7+2; Luke Harris 5+1; Ryan Ingram 7; Paul Starke 10+2; Jamie Etherington 0 (withdrawn – injury – IRR)

Heat details

1 Lambert; Shanes; Coles; Butcher 54.3 3-3

2 Morley; Woods; Harris; Ingram 54.3 5-1 [8-4]

3 (awarded) Coles; Starke; Norman; Etherington (fell exc.) no time 4-2 [12-6]

4 Lambert; Shanes; Morley; Butcher 53.9 3-3 [15-9]

5 (rerun) Coles; Ingram; Norman; Harris (fell exc.) 53.8 4-2 [19-11]

6 Shanes; Starke; Harris; Norman 53.3 (new T/R) 3-3 [22-14]

7 Lambert; Morley (15m h’cap); Woods (fell rem.); Butcher (EF) 53.5 3-3 [25-17]