Ipswich Tru7 Group Witches team manager Paul Hurry hopes a busier run of matches in June will bring the best out of his side.
Witches claimed a nervy 47-43 Rowe Motor Oil Premiership win at home to Northampton on Thursday, with Polish star Tobiasz Musielak topping the Foxhall club’s score chart on 13 points, while skipper Danny King added eight paid 10.
The scoreline matched the clubs’ result when they met at Foxhall in the Premiership Knockout Cup on April 23, and Ipswich have raced just four meetings since then.
With six matches in June – including three home dates in four weeks – Hurry hopes a busier schedule can help his Witches kick into top gear. He said: “That’s what we need – we need more meetings and bike time. I’m not saying they forget how to ride a bike, but race sharpness and time on the bike are key.
“When you look at Tom Brennan, he is largely only riding in Britain at the moment, so he is not getting as much bike time as he needs. Him competing against other No.1s, who are on it every night, is a battle for Tom.
“Danny King and Scott Nicholls are the same. They have had a very long break with their Championship club Plymouth’s fixtures. Scott was practising at the end of the meeting because he wasn’t totally happy with what he was doing.
“Jason Edwards needs bike time. He also needs to believe in himself a little bit more because he has beaten some world-class riders – on Thursday and previously.
“Richard Lawson hasn’t been too bad, but Richard is Richard. He could have six months off and still come back and do what he does.”
Hurry saluted Witches guest Jordan Jenkins for defying a sleepless night to contribute a handy four paid five points from three races.
He added: “With Jordan, I was very nervous. I got a phone call from him at 7.30am on Thursday morning, saying that he had been sick all night.
“I said, ‘How do you feel?’ He said, “I don’t feel too bad. I still feel rough and a bit lethargic. I said, ‘See how you go.’ If we didn’t have him, we’d have had to put a three-pointer in. He said he would give it a go. He had the chance, and he wanted to take it with both hands. He did that.”
Next up for the Witches is a home clash with the Sheffield Tigers on Thursday, June 4, featuring Aussie brothers Jack and Chris Holder, as well as all-action skipper Josh Pickering.
Advance tickets for the Tigers clash are available online HERE.
FINAL SCORES
IPSWICH TRU7 GROUP WITCHES 47: 1. Tom Brennan 4+1. 2. Danny King 8+2, 3. Richard Lawson 6+1, 4. Scott Nicholls 6+1, 5. Tobiasz Musielak 13, 6. Jordan Jenkins 4+1, 7. Jason Edwards 6.
NORTHAMPTON FOXES 43: 1. Jaimon Lidsey 1, 2. Troy Batchelor 4, 3. Jonas Jeppesen – Rider Replacement, 4. Chris Harris 12, 5. Nicolai Klindt 11+2, 6. Kye Thomson 12, 7. Luke Harrison 3+1.