Ipswich boss Paul Hurry insisted the Tru7 Group Witches “still have a reputation to keep”, despite heading to Northampton on Thursday with Premiership Knockout Cup Final qualification in the bag.
With home and away victories over King’s Lynn and a win over Northampton at Foxhall last Thursday, the Witches guaranteed top spot in the Knockout Cup’s Southern Section with the Foxes fixture to spare, sealing a Final showdown with holders Leicester on dates to be confirmed.
Thursday’s fixture is an historic one as British speedway’s newest club Northampton hosts its first home match at its Brafield venue.
While there’s little to lose for the Witches, a proud Hurry insists his side will be going to the Northampton International Shaleway, seeking more than some useful track time ahead of two Rowe Motor Oil Premiership matches on the new circuit later in the year.
He said: “We still have a reputation to keep. We are the Ipswich Witches. We have to keep that flag flying high. We won’t go there just to be walked over. We will go there to win, like we always do, and do the best job we can.
“I didn’t underestimate Northampton at Foxhall. They had people like Matej Zagar, Nicolai Klindt, Jaimon Lidsey and Troy Batchelor – they have all been on the world stage and won races. Kye Thomson has been going pretty well recently and he’s on the way up, so you have to be on your guard against them.
“They will have their press and practice on the day of our first meeting. By the time we get there, they will have done a day’s practising and will have some idea of how the track is going to ride.
“For those riders in heat one, which will be Tom Brennan and Danny King for us, it’s going to be a learning curve. When you look at the size of the track on paper, it’s around 390m. It’s going to be quite a size. It will take a bit of getting used to, and the setups are going to be different.
“We’re up for the fight and the challenge. It’s a stock car track and, with that, comes grip. We all want to go there, do the job and come home safe.”
Witches’ next home action sees them take on East Anglian rivals King’s Lynn in a Bank Holiday Monday derby in the Rowe Motor Oil Premiership. Racing gets underway at 2.15pm. Advance tickets are available online HERE now, with cash or card accepted on race day.
The Stars fixture is also available to watch live on WitchesTV, CLICK HERE to tune in.
STARTING LINE-UPS
NORTHAMPTON FOXES: 1. Jaimon Lidsey, 2. Troy Batchelor, 3. Matej Zagar, 4. Niels-Kristian Iversen, 5. Nicolai Klindt (captain), 6. Kye Thomson, 7. Luke Harrison.
IPSWICH TRU7 GROUP WITCHES: 1. Tom Brennan, 2. Danny King (captain), 3. Richard Lawson, 4. Scott Nicholls, 5. Tobiasz Musielak, 6. Philip Hellstrom-Bangs, 7. Jason Edwards.