Nicki Pedersen roared to a masterful maximum by slamming three of his fellow Danish aces on a fine night for the Eagles.

The immaculate Eastbourne No.1 streaked to an 18-point maximum - a return boosted by a successful tactical ride in heat 11 - while becoming the first visiting rider to beat Panthers talisman Hans Andersen around the East of England Showground this season.

Pedersen proved too fast for his rival in the opening heat and was again too hot for Andersen to handle when roaring to victory in the 13th race.

Kenneth Bjerre and Niels Kristian Iversen were also no match for Pedersen as he claimed a first-ever maximum at this venue but it was not enough to stop Eagles slipping to a 49-44 defeat.

"I knew no rider had beaten Hans around here and I really wanted to be the first," said Pedersen. "This is the best meeting I have ever had at Peterborough and the same goes for the team. We are delighted to push them so close and will hope to get the bonus in the return at our place."

The meeting ended in farcical fashion when referee Barbara Horley refused to allow Cameron Woodward to take his place in heat 15, wrongly believing he had already taken his seven permitted rides.

She then ordered his replacement David Norris to go off a 15-metre handicap after he failed to meet the two-minute deadline to reach the tapes.

Eagles boss Trevor Geer said: "We wanted to keep it to within ten points, so we are over the moon with five. It is just a shame it was marred by what happened at the end and we will be putting in a protest."