By Henry Chard
All the details ahead of our Sports Insure Premiership play-off final first leg fixture with Sheffield.
WHEN & WHERE
The Ipswich ‘Tru Mix’ Witches host the Sheffield Tigers at Foxhall Stadium on Tuesday 3rd October in a Sports Insure Premiership play-off final first leg fixture that starts at 7.30pm.
MEETING SPONSORS
A&S Aggregates Ltd – They are a trusted supplier of aggregates, landscaping materials and construction services for trade and public projects in Essex and throughout East Anglia. Since the company was founded over a decade ago, they have worked hard to achieve an unrivalled reputation for reliability and quality of service.
Simply Climate Control – Simply Climate Control is a progressive business specialising in the design, supply and installation of heating, ventilation & air conditioning (hvac) systems for retail, commercial, industrial & domestic spaces.
TEAMS
IPSWICH: 1. Emil Sayfutdinov 10.10 2. Erik Riss 4.84 3. Danny King 7.23 © 4. Keynan Rew 4.00 5. Jason Doyle 9.12 6. Danyon Hume 3.87 7. Joe Thompson (G) (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
SHEFFIELD: 1. Robert Lambert (G) 8.69 2. Kyle Howarth 5.55 © 3. Chris Holder 7.16 4. Josh Pickering 6.78 5. Richard Lawson (G) 8.47 6. Connor Mountain (G) 4.00 7. Jason Edwards (RS). Team Manager: Simon Stead
REFEREE: J. McGregor
SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Belle Vue | 24 | 44 |
| Wolverhampton | 24 | 38 |
| Sheffield | 24 | 37 |
| Ipswich | 24 | 34 |
| Leicester | 24 | 34 |
| Peterborough | 24 | 20 |
| King’s Lynn | 24 | 9 |
PLAY-OFF DRAW
SEMI-FINALS
First Leg: Ipswich 54-36 Belle Vue. Second Leg: Belle Vue 51-39 Ipswich
First Leg: Wolverhampton 40-50 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 39-21 Wolverhampton
FINAL
First Leg: Ipswich vs Sheffield (Oct 3). Second Leg: Sheffield vs Ipswich (Oct 5)
TICKETS
Tickets are available to buy online (until 7pm on raceday) and on the gate and are priced at £22 for adults and £20 for concessions (65+). Children 16 and under go free. Official programmes are priced at £3 and are available at the stadium. Car parking is free for all supporters. Debit and credit card payments are accepted. Turnstiles open at 6.40pm.
THE STORY
The Ipswich ‘Tru Mix’ Witches host the first leg of the Sports Insure Premiership play-off final against Sheffield on Tuesday evening at Foxhall.
It has been quite a few weeks for the Suffolk club who snuck into the play-offs a few weeks ago. The team followed that up by winning the Knockout Cup for the first time since 1998 and then proceeded to knock out reigning champions Belle Vue in the play-off semi-final after a dramatic last-heat decider at the National Speedway Stadium. That has set up a two-legged tie against the Sheffield Tigers to win the Sports Insure Premiership title and complete a remarkable double.
The first leg was due to be raced on Monday but with rain forecast, a decision was made on Sunday to move the first leg to Tuesday. Keynan Rew is back in the main body of the team, riding at number four with Danyon Hume back at reserve. Joe Thompson is the guest for injured brother Dan in the Rising Star position. Ipswich have won all three home meetings against the Tigers in 2023, 47-43 and 51-39 in the league and 55-35 in the Knockout Cup final. A season’s work boils down to this and the Foxhall crowd will be doing everything they can to help their side build as big a lead as possible to take to Owlerton on Thursday for the decisive second leg.
FROM THE BOSS
Ipswich ‘Tru Mix’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…
“It is the biggest meeting of the season, and we are going into it buzzing. Clearly, we are in great form, and we have two more meetings to carry that on and it will be 30 tough races home and away. We have the chance to build up a lead at home on Tuesday and with the way the boys have been riding, we go into it with confidence. We know this is the final and will show the determination needed in what will be a tough test.
“The atmosphere here at Ipswich over the last few weeks has been electric and I’m sure everyone will be out in force again on Tuesday, it makes the world of difference. We want to go and win this together.
“Keynan is back in the team, and he is in great form and has done very well at reserve and hopefully he can carry on that form as he is quite capable of riding at number four. Danyon hasn’t got the points he has deserved in the last few weeks. He proved a very good reserve earlier on in the season when he was getting six or seven rides every meeting. If he carries on riding like he has been in the last couple of months at reserve like he has done in the team, then he could be a key rider for us down there.
“Sheffield have got bad injuries and are not running with their team, but they are in a position where they can bring in good guests to compensate for this. I don’t think it will massively weaken them and I think they will bring a very strong side and one that will be very determined to deal with any conditions they will face. They will come prepared; they have been to Ipswich recently and will know what to expect from the track. They will be coming to try and win the meeting and we need to be on top of our game.”
THE TIGERS
Sheffield overcame Wolverhampton in the play-off semi-final to book their place in the final, a result that included a 10-point win away from home in the first leg. The Tigers were last year’s runners-up in the Sports Insure Premiership and will be desperate to avoid missing out at the final hurdle for the second year in succession. The South Yorkshire outfit were also recently beaten by the Witches in the Knockout Cup final and know they must put on a better showing in Suffolk on Tuesday to give them a chance to lift the trophy in front of their own fans on Thursday.
The visitors have a number of injuries with Tai Woffinden, Tobiasz Musielak and Claus Vissing all unavailable. Grand Prix rider Robert Lambert will guest at number one whilst Richard Lawson will be at number five. Connor Mountain is the third guest at number six.
Digital Media Manager at Ipswich Speedway