Ipswich skipper Danny King admits bonus points could make all the difference as the Tru7 Group Witches continue their Rowe Motor Oil Premiership title defence at King’s Lynn on Monday.
The Witches head into the second leg of the East Anglian derby clash hoping to secure their first Premiership bonus point of 2026, having won both legs of the teams’ Premiership Knockout Cup matches last month.
Ipswich also triumphed 50-40 over the Stars in league action on May 4 and will be keen to leave the Adrian Flux Arena with at least a bonus point to show for their efforts.
Having won 47-43 on their KO Cup visit to King’s Lynn, King is hoping for a repeat performance. He said: “Derbies are always intense, and they are always good meetings. It was nice to get one over on them early in the year when we went there in the KO Cup, and the plan is to do the same.”
The Witches lost their opening two away Premiership fixtures 51-39 at Belle Vue and 52-38 at Sheffield.
But with the home legs of both ties still to come, King is hopeful Witches can make up for those losses by winning the aggregate bonus points when their likely title rivals head to Foxhall.
He said: “It’s always tough going to Sheffield and Belle Vue. I thought we started really well at Belle Vue. They had to use a tactical sub, but three heats against (Speedway GP riders) Dan Bewley and Brady Kurtz was the difference on the night.
“Sheffield was the same; it’s a very tough place to go. But it’s important that we try to keep meetings close, so that we can get the bonus points. I believe that with the team we’ve got, we can do that.
“We have to go with that mentality everywhere. It’s about who can get the better of each other over two legs. If we can do that, we are going to be there at the end of the year.”
King is well aware of the test the Stars will pose on Monday, not least with Great Britain sensation Cooper Rushen enjoying an astonishing start to his Premiership career at reserve.
The Ipswich skipper has been impressed with the 16-year-old. He said: “Cooper is a fantastic rider. I think he has a massive future ahead of him. I am a bit of a Cooper fan myself. He’s riding really well and he’s an out-and-out racer. It’s always good to watch him, but he’ll be a problem – that’s for sure.”
The Witches remain without the absent Philip Hellstrom-Bangs following his recent suspension, with guest Simon Lambert stepping in. King hopes the stand-in reserve’s vast Adrian Flux Arena knowledge pays dividends. He said: “Simon rides the place very well and he has a lot of experience, so hopefully he can come in and do a great job for us.”
KING’S LYNN STARS: 1. Max Fricke, 2. Paco Castagna, 3. Chris Harris (captain), 4. Ben Cook, 5. Jan Kvech, 6. Cooper Rushen, 7. Jody Scott.
IPSWICH TRU7 GROUP WITCHES: 1. Tom Brennan, 2. Danny King (captain), 3. Richard Lawson, 4. Scott Nicholls, 5. Tobiasz Musielak, 6. Simon Lambert (guest), 7. Jason Edwards.