Author Archives: Henry Chard

About Henry Chard

Digital Media Manager at Ipswich Speedway

RACEDAY PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD – KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL SECOND LEG (H)

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By Henry Chard

All the details ahead of our Knockout Cup final second leg fixture with Sheffield.

WHEN & WHERE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Sheffield Tigers at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 5th September in a Knockout Cup final second leg fixture. Parade: 7.30pm, first race: 7:45pm.

MEETING SPONSORS

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. R/R for Jason Doyle 9.36 2. Adam Ellis 5.61 3. Keynan Rew 5.43 4. Tom Brennan (G) 9.12 5. Danny King © 6.48 6. James Pearson (G) 3.74 7. Dan Thompson (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

SHEFFIELD: 1. Jack Holder 8.70 2. Kyle Howarth 5.35 © 3. Chris Holder 8.65 4. Josh Pickering 6.61 5. R/R for Tai Woffinden 8.67 6. Jason Edwards 3.52 7. Dan Gilkes (RS). Team Manager: Simon Stead

REFEREE: C. Gay

KNOCKOUT CUP DRAW

QUARTER-FINALS

First Leg: Belle Vue 49-41 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 49–41 Belle Vue – Sheffield win super heat

First Leg: Leicester 42-48 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 47–43 Leicester

SEMI-FINALS

First Leg: Birmingham 44-46 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 51-39 Birmingham

First Leg: King’s Lynn 50-40 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 54-36 King’s Lynn

FINAL

First Leg: Sheffield 55–35 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich vs Sheffield

TICKETS

Tickets are available to buy online (until 7pm on raceday) and on the gate and are priced at £23 for adults and £21 for concessions (65+) & students (21 & under). Tickets for children aged 6-16 are £1 whilst children 5 & under go free. Official programmes are priced at £3.50 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 ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches take on Sheffield in the decisive second leg of the Knockout Cup final on Thursday at Foxhall.

The two sides met at Owlerton on Monday as the Tigers ran out 55-35 winners leaving the Witches with a mountain to climb if they are to retain the trophy. Ipswich’s season has been decimated by injuries and they remain without the world class talents of Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov. Tom Brennan guests for the injured Sayfutdinov and rider replacement will be in operation at number one after being unable to secure a guest rider for the fixture.

Sadly on Wednesday night, the club suffered another injury as Jordan Jenkins crashed whilst riding for his Championship club and he is going for an X-ray on a suspected broken wrist. James Pearson guests at reserve.

The Witches beat the Tigers 50-40 at Foxhall back in June but also suffered a 38-52 defeat last month against Sheffield. One thing is for certain is that this Ipswich team will be giving it their all on Thursday night as they look to pull off a miraculous turnaround in front of their home supporters.

FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“We saw in last year’s play-off final what Sheffield did to us in the second leg of that, things happen in sport. We are massive underdogs and face an uphill task, but we will be out there giving it everything. We don’t want to let the trophy go that we have worked so hard for, and the boys have shown enough this year for everyone to know what they are about and how hard they are going to fight.

“Everyone is out there doing everything, but we have lost our top end. If you look at how the bottom end has improved throughout the year in Jordan, Dan and Keynan, they have done their jobs and everything we planned has gone the way we wanted for them this year and they have got into good form at this time of year. Even though we have been losing and had bad results they are still confident because they are doing their jobs well.

“It was great to have Adam back on Monday and he has got a couple of meetings under his belt now which will have him sharper for Thursday. We have Tom coming in and we know how good he can be around Ipswich. It is a team that can win a lot of races at home, and they will all be out there looking to perform at their best and if they all do, we still have a chance.

“We will be running R/R at one for Jason which is far from ideal. Unfortunately, we could not find a suitable guest to fill the spot and it makes the task even harder. All six boys need to be firing anyway and they will all have the opportunity to have extra rides to cover the number one position.

“We need to start well and get momentum going early and keep it going from there. It looks like we will need a near-perfect night from everyone and obviously that is what we will be going out aiming to do.”

THE TIGERS

Sheffield head to Foxhall in prime position to win the Knockout Cup after their big first leg win in South Yorkshire. The Tigers need just 36 points on Thursday to lift the trophy and they will be full of confidence having beaten an injury-hit Ipswich in Suffolk just a few weeks ago.

The visitors are without Tai Woffinden and will operate rider replacement at number five.

RACEDAY REPORT: SHEFFIELD 55-35 IPSWICH – KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL FIRST LEG (A)

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By Henry Chard

THE SCORES

SHEFFIELD 55: Jack Holder 18 (Maximum), Kyle Howarth © 3, Chris Holder 10+1, Josh Pickering 17+1 (Paid Maximum), Tai Woffinden R/R, Jason Edwards 6+1, Dan Gilkes (RS) 1. Team Manager: Simon Stead

IPSWICH 35: Jaimon Lidsey (G) 7, Keynan Rew 6+1, Danny King © 4+1, Tom Brennan (G) 6, Adam Ellis 5+2, Jordan Jenkins 3+1, Dan Thompson (RS) 4+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: P. Carrington

KNOCKOUT CUP DRAW

QUARTER-FINALS

First Leg: Belle Vue 49-41 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 49–41 Belle Vue – Sheffield win super heat

First Leg: Leicester 42-48 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 47–43 Leicester

SEMI-FINALS

First Leg: Birmingham 44-46 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 51-39 Birmingham

First Leg: King’s Lynn 50-40 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 54-36 King’s Lynn

FINAL

First Leg: Sheffield 55-35 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich vs Sheffield (5th Sep)

THE STORY

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches were well beaten at Sheffield on Monday night in the first leg of the Knockout Cup final.

The visitors remain without their top two riders in Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov due to injuries with Jaimon Lidsey and Tom Brennan guesting in their absence. The hosts were running rider replacement for Tai Woffinden. Sheffield registered a string of 4-2s in the first half of the contest and found themselves 12 points to the good after nine races. Ipswich battled hard in the second half of the meeting but leave themselves with a big deficit to overturn at Foxhall after a 20-point defeat. Lidsey top scored with seven points.

Sheffield struck a 4-2 in heat one and heat two was stopped after a tight first bend saw Dan Thompson fall and he was excluded from the race. In the re-run Jason Edwards managed to hold off Jordan Jenkins to win in another heat advantage to the home team. The 4-2s kept on coming in heat three before a shared heat four left the score 15-9.

It was back to a Sheffield 4-2 in heat five and another followed in heat six as Jack Holder won and Kyle Howarth passed Jenkins late on in the race for a point. It was the same result in heat seven as Chris Holder won on this occasion and Edwards passed Danny King on the race to the line for third. The Witches finally got their first race win of the night in heat eight as Keynan Rew was first across the line and he was followed home by Thompson for a maximum that made it 28-20.

The Tigers registered their first 5-1 of the night in heat nine and heat 10 was shared. There was another 3-3 in heat 11 but the home team hit another maximum in heat 12 to put them 44-28 up as they secured victory on the night.

Jack Holder won heat 13 but Lidsey and Adam Ellis relegated Howarth to the back to prevent another heat advantage. Josh Pickering picked up his fifth win of the night in heat 14 but once again the visitors prevented a heat advantage as Jenkins battled past Edwards for third. Jack Holder and Pickering completed their maximums in heat 15 as they raced to a 5-1 as Sheffield put one hand on the trophy ahead of Thursday’s second leg in Suffolk.

REACTION FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Monday’s defeat at Sheffield.

“It was a far bigger deficit than we were looking to pull back on Thursday. It is quite clear that we have lost our race winners, and we are not winning enough races without them. That was the big difference and there were heats that we needed to attack for heat advantages. One of those was heat two and Dan fell straight away which immediately puts you on the back foot from then on. There were other heats where we shouldn’t drop points and we did, and we have left ourselves a big task on Thursday.

“The guests are coming in and doing a decent job, but you are never going to get a like for like replacement. I was really pleased with the commitment from Jaimon and Tom, and they gave everything for the team. You are not going to get straight replacements for Jason and Emil, we know that.

“It was great to see so many of our fans up there, the support was amazing as always. It is even more appreciated now when we know things are tough and it was nice to chat to a few of them after the meeting who are very loyal and understanding of the situation we are in at the moment.

“We go into Thursday with the boys determined not to roll over and to put everything into pulling the points back. We have had big wins at home in the past and if we can get on a roll, you never know.”

RIDER OF THE NIGHT

Rew provided the only race winner of the night for Ipswich and did his job on his return to the main body of the team.

WHAT IT MEANS

Sheffield take a 20-point lead to Foxhall meaning Ipswich have it all to do in the second leg to retain the title.

UP NEXT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Sheffield Tigers at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 5th September in a Knockout Cup final second leg fixture. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINAL DATES CONFIRMED

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The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches’ ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off semi-final fixtures against the Leicester Lions have been confirmed.

The first leg will take place at Foxhall Stadium on Monday 9th September. The second leg will be at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena on Thursday 12th September.

Tickets for the home leg can be purchased here.

You can read the full statement from BSPL with the details behind the decision below.

The schedule for the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off semi-finals has been confirmed – with the title-deciding action getting underway at Ipswich on Monday September 9.

Dates and venues have been agreed for all four meetings in order to provide clarity for supporters intending to attend the events and to assist clubs with planning and publicity.

The Witches face a clash with current form side Leicester, starting at Foxhall, with the second leg to take place at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park 72 hours later on Thursday September 12.

The following week features a ‘War of the Roses’ contest as Belle Vue and Sheffield meet in a repeat of the dramatic 2022 Grand Final, which was won by the Aces before the Tigers took the title last year against Ipswich.

Belle Vue stage the first leg of the semi-final at the National Speedway Stadium on Monday September 16, with the return at Owlerton on Thursday September 19.

The Grand Final will take place over two legs on Monday September 23 and Thursday September 26.

Premiership CEO Phil Morris said: “We do realise that the exact finishing positions in the league will only be resolved following next week’s fixtures between Leicester and King’s Lynn.

“However, we have taken a commercial decision with agreement from all clubs involved that it is in everyone’s best interests to have these semi-finals confirmed now.
“The intention was to have a blank week in terms of league matches to enable build-up to the semi-finals, but that had to change due to the weather which meant two fixtures needed to be slotted in during KO Cup Final week.

“It wasn’t going to be ideal to wait until next Thursday to confirm a play-off meeting for the following Monday, and whilst we’ve had a good run with the weather lately you never know when that may change in any case.

“The clubs are in agreement with this decision, and they can now go ahead with promotion and publicity for their semi-finals with full clarity regarding their dates and opponents.”

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP PLAY-OFF SEMI-FINALS
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 9: Ipswich v Leicester

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 12: Leicester v Ipswich

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 16: Belle Vue v Sheffield

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 19: Sheffield v Belle Vue

RACEDAY PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD – KNOCKOUT CUP FINAL FIRST LEG (A)

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By Henry Chard

All the details ahead of our Knockout Cup final first leg fixture with Sheffield.

WHEN & WHERE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Sheffield to face the Tigers at Owlerton Stadium on Monday 2nd September in a Knockout Cup final first leg fixture that starts at 7.30pm.

TEAMS

SHEFFIELD: 1. Jack Holder 8.70 2. Kyle Howarth 5.35 © 3. Chris Holder 8.65 4. Josh Pickering 6.61 5. R/R for Tai Woffinden 8.67 6. Jason Edwards 3.52 7. Dan Gilkes (RS). Team Manager: Simon Stead

IPSWICH: 1. Jaimon Lidsey (G) 9.36 2. Keynan Rew 5.43 3. Danny King © 6.48 4. Tom Brennan (G) 9.12 5. Adam Ellis 5.61 6. Jordan Jenkins 3.74 7. Dan Thompson (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: P. Carrington

KNOCKOUT CUP DRAW

QUARTER-FINALS

First Leg: Belle Vue 49-41 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 49–41 Belle Vue – Sheffield win super heat

First Leg: Leicester 42-48 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 47–43 Leicester

SEMI-FINALS

First Leg: Birmingham 44-46 Ipswich. Second Leg: Ipswich 51-39 Birmingham

First Leg: King’s Lynn 50-40 Sheffield. Second Leg: Sheffield 54-36 King’s Lynn

FINAL

Ipswich vs Sheffield

TICKETS

Tickets are available to purchase on the gate.

THE STORY

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches head to Sheffield on Monday for the first leg of the Knockout Cup final.

The Witches are the current holders of the trophy having beaten the Tigers in last year’s final and the Suffolk side have sailed through to the final again this season winning home and away in both the quarter-final and semi-final.

However, Ipswich go into the final as underdogs and out of form. The club have lost their two star riders to injury in Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov and have lost their last six fixtures on the bounce. Ritchie Hawkins has secured the services of Jaimon Lidsey to guest at number one whilst Tom Brennan is at number four.

The visitors do welcome back Adam Ellis to the team having recovered from his concussion. The new averages also see Dan Thompson drop to reserve and Keynan Rew back in the main body of the team.

It’s been a tough few weeks for the club but they have performed well at Owlerton in 2024, winning 46-44 and narrowly losing by the same scoreline. A similar result either way would give the Witches confidence heading into the second leg at Foxhall next Thursday as they look to defend their crown.

FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“Tom is going to come in now and do the rest of the season with us in the cup final and play-offs. I am delighted to have him part of the team and he has done well when he has ridden for us before. He was brilliant on Thursday against us and is a rider who has had another great year of improvement. I know he is excited to finish the season with us.

“Jaimon is someone we have tried to book as a guest throughout the year, but we haven’t been able to. I know he had a tough meeting at Sheffield last week, but he has done well there in the past.

“Sheffield is somewhere we have done well this year by being solid throughout and that is something that we will need to do again on Monday. The meeting is over two legs and I think it is going to be a tight battle throughout.

“With our recent troubles, Sheffield will be clear favourites, but we certainly won’t be giving up the trophy easily.

“We have had a tough few weeks but if anyone is going into the cup final thinking about that then they are in the wrong sport. We have been the best team in the league for the majority of the league and if we want to win trophies we have got to fight hard and that is what we will be doing next week.”

THE TIGERS

Sheffield have enjoyed another strong campaign, and like the Witches find themselves in the play-offs and Knockout Cup final again. The Tigers have had to battle their way through to the final this year, overcoming Belle Vue in a super heat in the quarter final and overturning a 10-point deficit against King’s Lynn in the semi-final. The hosts have suffered just one defeat at home all year, against the Witches.

The home team are without Tai Woffinden and originally were due to be missing Dan Gilkes. Chris Harris was booked to guest for Woffinden before he was declared ineligible having guested for Ipswich earlier in the competition and rider replacement will now be in operation at five. Joe Thompson was the original guest declared for Gilkes but the club then announced that Nathan Ablitt would guest. On Sunday it was then announced that Gilkes would take his place in the line-up.

AWAY DAYS

An adult ticket costs £23, concessions (over 65s & students) £21, kids (up to and including age 17) £1 whilst children under five go free. Official programmes cost £3. All the stadium is open except the back straight which remains closed for safety reasons. There is seating in the Panorama Room, which also boasts a restaurant and bar overlooking the track. There is a fast-food bar, and the Panorama Room Restaurant also offers a ‘Speedway Special’ carvery with a choice of meats. The Panorama Room Restaurant has large bar with ideal viewing facilities in addition to the carvery. Reserve your table now by calling Owlerton Stadium on 01142 343074. For travel information head here.

For more information about the club head to Sheffield’s official website.

RACEDAY REPORT: IPSWICH 44–46 BIRMINGHAM – ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2 (H)

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By Henry Chard

MEETING SPONSORS

The Fat Cat Ipswich – They are a small, friendly Free House where you can enjoy a wide selection of up to twenty real ales served straight from the cask from our temperature-controlled tap room. Also, on offer are up to seven real ciders as well as a selection of gins, whiskies, rums, wines and Belgian beers. They are a pub about the beer and the people so whether it is lively debate you’re after or a quiet pint in the greenery filled garden, you can find it there!

The Fat Cat Colchester – Fat Cat Colchester is a well-established free house serving a great selection of ales, wines, spirits and food. You’ll be warmly greeted by their friendly atmosphere, the oak bar with a row of hand pumps advertising a selection of real ales. Above the bar, a blackboard details the wide range of beers sourced locally, nationally and from abroad.

Ipswich Town Football Club – They offer an extensive range of hospitality, advertising and sponsorship opportunities to place your business front and centre, plus unforgettable experiences for their passionate and loyal supporters.

Whether you’re looking to catapult your brand through a bespoke partnership or impress and engage key clients at a memorable match day, Ipswich Town Football Club is the place to do it.

THE SCORES

IPSWICH 44: Scott Nicholls (G) 8+1, Dan Thompson (RS) 8+1, Danny King © 7, Troy Batchelor (G) 9+2, Emil Sayfutdinov R/R, Keynan Rew 8+1, Jordan Jenkins 4+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

BIRMINGHAM 46: Fredrik Lindgren © 15 (Maximum), Piotr Pawlicki R/R, Antti Vuolas (G) 0, Zach Cook 9+1, Tom Brennan 14+3, Michael Palm Toft 5+1, Leon Flint (RS) 3+1. Team Manager: Sam Ermolenko

REFEREE: M. Wear

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Sheffield2442
Leicester2237
Belle Vue2437
Ipswich2434
Oxford2426
King’s Lynn*2220
Birmingham2411
*King’s Lynn deducted 2 league points on 18.05.24 for breach of SCB rules.

THE STORY

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches finished their regular ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign with a defeat to Birmingham on Thursday night at Foxhall.

The hosts welcomed back Keynan Rew at reserve but were still without the trio of Jason Doyle, Emil Sayfutdinov and Adam Ellis. Scott Nicholls guested at one and Troy Batchelor came in for Ellis whilst rider replacement was used for Sayfutdinov. Birmingham were without Piotr Pawlicki and Wiktor Lampart with Antti Vuolas in for Lampart and rider replacement in operation for Pawlicki. The meeting was tight throughout with the Witches holding a narrow lead for most of the contest until Birmingham hit the front in heat 13.  The Witches responded with a 5-1 in heat 14 to retake the lead but the Brummies hit a maximum in heat 15 to give them their first away win of the season and the aggregate bonus point having also beaten Ipswich on Monday at Perry Barr. Batchelor top scored with 9+2.

Fredrik Lindgren won a shared heat one and Rew did the same in heat two. The Witches went in front in three courtesy of a maximum from Danny King and Batchelor. There was another 3-3 in heat four leaving Ipswich 14-10 up.

Birmingham levelled the score in heat five as they raced to a fortunate maximum with King retiring with mechanical issues whilst in second. The Suffolk side went back in front in heat six as Nicholls got the better of Tom Brennan to win and Dan Thompson finished third for the 4-2. Heat seven was shared but Ipswich extended their lead in heat eight with a 5-1 from Thompson and Jordan Jenkins, making it 27-21.

The away side recorded a heat advantage in heat nine and Thompson was a winner again in a shared heat 10. The scores were level after heat 11 as Lindgren and Brennan hit a maximum. The Witches regained the lead in heat 12 as King won in a 4-2 putting the hosts 37-35 in front.

Birmingham then took a big step towards victory with another maximum from Lindgren and Brennan in heat 13 putting them in the lead. However, the hosts responded, roaring to a 5-1 of their own in heat 14 thanks to Rew and Batchelor, taking it to a last-heat decider with the home team two points ahead. It was the combination of Lindgren and Brennan that won it though as the pair struck another 1-5 which condemned Ipswich to a sixth defeat in a row.

REACTION FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s defeat against Birmingham.

“I know we are short of riders, but it was a meeting we should have been able to win and cover that, but we didn’t. We had some bad luck and some machinery problems but really, we should have been good enough for that not to matter.

“Freddie and Tom were brilliant tonight, and we didn’t get many from R/R instead of Emil, R/R has been a struggle of late, it is not that easy to find suitable guests either. It didn’t work tonight, and Scott and Danny were our two heat leaders and they both suffered mechanical problems. That all contributed to the defeat.

“On a positive note, Dan has struggled the last few weeks, but it was good to see him get a good meeting under his belt. He will be dropping to reserve to finish the season and it should be a good confidence boost for him and I am really pleased for him. Keynan carried on riding very well on his return to the side and suffered no ill effects after his recent injury which is good news. I thought after heat two Jordan put in a couple of good rides which carries on his improvement in form. In that respect, the lower end of the team has improved and is doing well.

“Now the league has finished, and we have got a massive cup final next week. From here on in we should be settled with one or two guests and a full one to seven. We will regroup for the cup final and play-offs and will be ready to try and win some trophies.”

FAT CAT & IPSWICH TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB RIDERS OF THE NIGHT

Ipswich Town chose Thompson who scored 8+1.

The Fat Cat went for King who scored seven points.

WHAT IT MEANS

Ipswich complete their league campaign finishing fourth and will race whoever finishes top of the league in the play-offs. Birmingham end their season on a high picking up three points but finish bottom of the table.

UP NEXT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Sheffield to take on the Tigers on Monday 2nd September in the first leg of the Knockout Cup final. Tickets can be purchased on the gate.

RACEDAY PREVIEW: BIRMINGHAM – ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2 (H)

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By Henry Chard

All the details ahead of our ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture with Birmingham.

WHEN & WHERE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Birmingham Brummies at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 29th August in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture. Parade: 7.30pm, first race: 7:45pm.

MEETING SPONSORS

The Fat Cat Ipswich – They are a small, friendly Free House where you can enjoy a wide selection of up to twenty real ales served straight from the cask from our temperature-controlled tap room. Also, on offer are up to seven real ciders as well as a selection of gins, whiskies, rums, wines and Belgian beers. They are a pub about the beer and the people so whether it is lively debate you’re after or a quiet pint in the greenery filled garden, you can find it there!

The Fat Cat Colchester – Fat Cat Colchester is a well-established free house serving a great selection of ales, wines, spirits and food. You’ll be warmly greeted by their friendly atmosphere, the oak bar with a row of hand pumps advertising a selection of real ales. Above the bar, a blackboard details the wide range of beers sourced locally, nationally and from abroad.

Ipswich Town Football Club – They offer an extensive range of hospitality, advertising and sponsorship opportunities to place your business front and centre, plus unforgettable experiences for their passionate and loyal supporters.

Whether you’re looking to catapult your brand through a bespoke partnership or impress and engage key clients at a memorable match day, Ipswich Town Football Club is the place to do it.

TEAMS

IPSWICH: 1. Scott Nicholls (G) 9.36 2. Dan Thompson 5.02 (RS) 3. Danny King 6.98 © 4. Troy Batchelor (G) 5.63 5. R/R for Emil Sayfutdinov 9.04 6. Keynan Rew 4.77 7. Jordan Jenkins 3.66. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

BIRMINGHAM: 1. Fredrik Lindgren © 7.59 2. R/R for Piotr Pawlicki 5.26 3. Antti Vuolas (G) 4.94 4. Zach Cook 5.05 5. Tom Brennan 6.07 6. Michael Palm Toft 4.31 7. Leon Flint (RS). Team Manager: Sam Ermolenko

REFEREE: M. Wear

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Sheffield2341
Belle Vue2437
Leicester2134
Ipswich2334
Oxford2326
King’s Lynn*2118
Birmingham238
*King’s Lynn deducted 2 league points on 18.05.24 for breach of SCB rules.

TICKETS

Tickets are available to buy online (until 7pm on raceday) and on the gate and are priced at £23 for adults and £21 for concessions (65+) & students (21 & under). Tickets for children aged 6-16 are £1 whilst children 5 & under go free. Official programmes are priced at £3.50 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 ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches race their final league fixture of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership against Birmingham on Thursday night at Foxhall.

The Suffolk side will compete in the play-offs and race in the Knockout Cup final next week against Sheffield but Thursday represents a chance to end the regular campaign on a high note before the stakes are raised.

Having lost four on the trot and suffered a host of fresh injury problems, a patched-up Ipswich side were narrowly beaten 47-43 at Birmingham on Monday, making it five without a win for Ipswich.

The home team are without Jason Doyle, Emil Sayfutdinov and Adam Ellis again on Thursday. Scott Nicholls guests at number one whilst Troy Batchelor is in for Ellis. Rider replacement will be used to cover Sayfutdinov. In more positive news, Keynan Rew is fit enough to return to the side at reserve.

The Witches have beaten the Brummies on both of their visits to Foxhall, 49-41 and 51-39 and a win by more than four points on Thursday would see them claim the aggregate bonus point and end the regular season on a positive result.

FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“It is our last league meeting of the year and overall, it has been a very good season. The last couple of weeks have been tough but we want to end the season on a high and win at home. I’m sure everyone will be coming out to support the boys again and we need a win to get out of this losing streak before the cup final.

“We know Scott is going to be here every week that he can, he has been superb, and we have spoken a lot about that. In the three bookings Troy has done, he has done well. Looking at someone from the Championship that you can fit in on Adam’s average, he is by far the best option. We know he is capable of going out and beating any rider at any time, so it is good to have him.

“I have nothing new to say about Emil, he is still recovering. There was a chance Adam might be fit for Thursday, but his goal is to be fit for Monday. Keynan will be back for Thursday, that is the plan.

“The play-off picture hasn’t mattered to us over the last week or so once we knew that we weren’t going to win the league. There are pros and cons to racing any of the other three teams, we are happy to go against anyone. For us, Thursday is about getting the win on the night and trying to get three points to finish the season on a high.”

THE BRUMMIES

Birmingham’s first season back in the top-flight since 2014 promised to be an exciting one but in truth it is a season they will be pleased to see the back off. The Brummies will finish bottom of the table and are yet to pick up any points away from home. The visitors will see the depleted Witches as an opportunity to end the season on a high and get that first win on the road to follow up Monday’s home win against Ipswich.

The away side are without Piotr Pawlicki who doesn’t feel able to take his place in the side and Wiktor Lampart who is unwell. Antti Vuolas comes in for Lampart whilst rider replacement is in operation for Pawlicki.

RACEDAY REPORT: BIRMINGHAM 47–43 IPSWICH – ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2 (A)

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Image courtesy of Jeff Davies

THE SCORES

BIRMINGHAM 47: Fredrik Lindgren © 9+2, Piotr Pawlicki R/R, Simon Lambert (G) 5, Zach Cook 9+1, Tom Brennan 15+1, Michael Palm Toft 6+1, Leon Flint (RS) 3. Team Manager: Sam Ermolenko

IPSWICH 43: Richard Lawson (G) 13+1, Dan Thompson (RS) 3+1, Sam Masters (G) 10, Troy Batchelor (G) 6+1, Danny King © 4+1, Cameron Heeps (G) 3, Jordan Jenkins 4+2. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: C. Ackroyd

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Sheffield2341
Belle Vue2336
Leicester2134
Ipswich2334
Oxford2326
King’s Lynn*2016
Birmingham238
*King’s Lynn deducted 2 league points on 18.05.24 for breach of SCB rules.

THE STORY

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches were beaten at Birmingham on Monday night in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

It was a depleted Witches side that went into the fixture with Richard Lawson, Sam Masters, Troy Batchelor and Cameron Heeps guesting for the injured quartet of Jason Doyle, Emil Sayfutdinov, Adam Ellis and Keynan Rew. The hosts were without the duo of Piotr Pawlicki and Wiktor Lampart with rider replacement covering Pawlicki and Simon Lambert in for Lampart. There was nothing to separate the two sides after eight heats before two maximums from the hosts put them in the box seat for victory. Ipswich pulled some points back but didn’t have enough on the night to get a positive result. Lawson top scored with 13+1.

Lawson won a shared heat one before the Brummies went ahead in heat two with a 5-1. The Witches struck back in heat three with a maximum of their own courtesy of Masters and Batchelor. Heat four was a 3-3 leaving it all square at 12-12.

Lawson won again in heat five as the away side went ahead with a 2-4. Heat six ended in a 3-3 as Fredrik Lindgren finished ahead of Danny King and Jordan Jenkins went past Michael Palm Toft for a point. It was level again after heat seven as the home team recorded a 4-2 and it was a shared heat eight with Dan Thompson winning the battle at the back against Leon Flint, making it 24-24.

The hosts went in front in heat nine with a 5-1 and made it back-to-back maximums in heat 10 to extend their lead. The visitors got two points back in heat 11 as Lawson was a winner again and Thompson finished third. Lawson was brought in as a tactical substitute in heat 12 and it worked out well as he followed Masters home for the maximum to leave the score finely poised at 37-35.

Birmingham put themselves on the brink of a rare victory with a 5-1 in heat 13. Heat 14 was stopped as Palm Toft crashed with the visitors on a 2-4 at the time of the stoppage. Ipswich were on a heat advantage again in the re-run, but Zach Cook passed Batchelor to win the race, ensuring a 3-3 that won his side the meeting. Masters won heat 15 as the Witches recorded a 2-4 to make the final score 47-43.

REACTION FROM THE BOSS

Image courtesy of Jeff Davies

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Monday’s defeat at Birmingham.

“We were beaten by the better side tonight. The guests came in and all contributed and gave us everything, but we weren’t good enough and I have no complaints. We started the meeting well and had the good gates, but we let it slip too much when they had the better of the gates mid-meeting and gave ourselves too big a task to pull back later on, we all had a good go at it.

“We know the result does not matter but it does in the fact that we wanted to win the meeting and get some wins under our belt before the important meetings next week, so that is disappointing. We have to work and focus on Thursday now and getting that win and hopefully by next Monday we will have a few members of the team back.”

RIDER OF THE NIGHT

Guest Lawson was superb at number one, top scoring with 13+1 which included three race wins.

WHAT IT MEANS

Birmingham pick up just their third win of the season to end their home campaign but stay bottom. Ipswich remain fourth.

UP NEXT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Birmingham Brummies at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 29th August in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.

RACEDAY PREVIEW: BIRMINGHAM – ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2 (A)

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By Henry Chard

All the details ahead of our ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture with Birmingham.

WHEN & WHERE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Birmingham to face the Brummies at the Perry Barr Stadium on Monday 26th August in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture that starts at 7.30pm.

TEAMS

BIRMINGHAM: 1. Fredrik Lindgren © 7.59 2. R/R for Piotr Pawlicki 5.26 3. Wiktor Lampart 4.94 4. Zach Cook 5.05 5. Tom Brennan 6.07 6. Michael Palm Toft 4.31 7. Leon Flint (RS). Team Manager: Sam Ermolenko

IPSWICH: 1. Richard Lawson (G) 9.36 2. Dan Thompson (RS) 5.02 3. Sam Masters (G) 9.04 4. Troy Batchelor (G) 5.63 5. Danny King © 6.98 6. Cameron Heeps (G) 4.77 7. Jordan Jenkins 3.66. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: C. Ackroyd

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Sheffield2138
Leicester2134
Belle Vue2134
Ipswich2234
Oxford2326
King’s Lynn*2016
Birmingham226
*King’s Lynn deducted 2 league points on 18.05.24 for breach of SCB rules.

TICKETS

Tickets are available to purchase on the gate and in advance here.

THE STORY

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches are back on their travels again on Monday as they race the Birmingham Brummies in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

The Suffolk side have just had three home meetings on the bounce where their injury problems mounted further in three defeats. The Witches have dropped from first to fourth in the table after four straight defeats having had the wind knocked out of their sails by losing more riders to the treatment table.

It is another patched-up team that heads to Birmingham with four guests coming into the side. Ryan Douglas was due to guest at number one for the injured Jason Doyle but crashed whilst riding in Poland on Sunday with Richard Lawson now stepping in. Sam Masters comes in for the injured Emil Sayfutdinov. Adam Ellis was due to return to action after his period on the sidelines having suffered a concussion, but he is still struggling following the bang to the head and needs another week of rest. Troy Batchelor guests at number four in his absence.

Keynan Rew is also missing as he is still feeling the effects of his crash during last Thursday’s defeat to Belle Vue and Cameron Heeps will guest at reserve.

Ipswich have visited Perry Barr twice in 2024 losing 49-41 in the league and winning 46-44 in the Knockout Cup. Ritchie Hawkins’ men will be aiming to get back to winning ways against the division’s basement side as they look to build momentum up again before the Knockout Cup final and play-offs.

FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“We head to Birmingham with a patched-up side full of guests. It is not something we want to be doing but it is the situation we are in at the moment. I feel we are putting out a strong side and have two Leicester riders in. Sam goes very well at Birmingham and was very keen to take the booking.

“Adam is not going to be fit, he is still suffering some effects from his knock to the head last week so Troy will come in as a guest again. I thought he did a decent job at Ipswich the other night and we know what he is all about.

“The main focus is on the cup final now, but we have got Birmingham home and away and they have struggled this year. We are focused on getting two wins to get back into winning ways before the cup final.

“Birmingham have had a tough season back in the top-flight, but they will look at this looking to end their season on a high. They will see it as an opportunity to beat us seeing as we are hampered with injuries, so we will have to perform if we want to win the meeting as they will see it as chance to get a win on the board as well.

“Emil is at home recovering and is hopeful of trying to get back for the play-offs in Poland and England. Whether that proves to be too difficult a task or not we will know more about in the coming weeks.”

THE BRUMMIES

Birmingham have had a wretched return to the top-flight of British Speedway and find themselves marooned at the bottom of the table with just six points to their name. They have won just two fixtures all season, both at home and will be keen to give their supporters something to cheer in their last home fixture of 2024 on Monday.

There have been plenty of team changes throughout the season at Birmingham as they have tried to find the winning formula. Zach Cook is back in the side having been dropped earlier in the season whilst Michael Palm Toft has replaced the unwell Steve Worrall since they last faced Ipswich.

AWAY DAYS

An adult ticket costs £23, concessions £20, students (17-22 with proof of ID) £10 and children 16 and under go free. Official programmes cost £3.00 and car parking is £3.00. There is a modern three level grandstand extending for the full length of the home straight. On ground level there is a bar and refreshments area plus souvenir sales shop. Closed circuit television monitors show the racing and replays. There are also extensive bar and restaurant and light refreshment facilities.

For more information about the club head to Birmingham’s official website.

RACEDAY REPORT: IPSWICH 41–49 BELLE VUE – ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2 (H)

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By Henry Chard

MEETING SPONSORS

RN Euston – RN Euston Limited has supplied steel framed buildings in East Anglia for over 40 years.  Established by Ray Euston the business has grown steadily over the years and now Ray works in partnership with his son Mark.  The company is based in Suffolk and work all over East Anglia where they have gained a reliable reputation.

George Baker Shipping – George Baker (Shipping) Ltd has been a household name within the freight community for over 40 years. Despite its growth and success, George Baker Shipping continues to adhere to the same core values on which the company was founded. To this day, the business remains in the Baker family and is now under the ownership of George and Libby’s children, David Baker and Sharon Binns. Over 40 years on, the company is renowned as customs specialists, whilst also being recognised for its diversified and innovative high-quality logistics services.

THE SCORES

IPSWICH 41: Scott Nicholls (G) 15+1, Dan Thompson (RS) 1+1, Danny King © 12, Zach Cook (G) 2+1, Emil Sayfutdinov R/R, Keynan Rew 0 (Withdrawn), Jordan Jenkins 11+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

BELLE VUE 49: Dan Bewley 11+1, Norick Blödorn 7+1, Jaimon Lidsey 9, Ben Cook 5+2, Brady Kurtz © 10+1, Antti Vuolas 3, Jake Mulford (RS) 4+2. Team Manager: Mark Lemon

REFEREE: P. Carrington

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Sheffield2138
Leicester2134
Belle Vue2134
Ipswich2234
Oxford2326
King’s Lynn*2016
Birmingham226
*King’s Lynn deducted 2 league points on 18.05.24 for breach of SCB rules.

THE STORY

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches suffered their third home defeat in a row on Thursday night as they were beaten by the Belle Vue Aces in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

It was another depleted Witches side that took to the track with Scott Nicholls and Zach Cook guesting for the injured Jason Doyle and concussed Adam Ellis whilst rider replacement was in operation for the injured Emil Sayfutdinov. The visitors were at full strength for the fixture. The Aces edged ahead and found themselves racing against a five-man team after heat two with Keynan Rew withdrawn following a crash. It looked like the away side were going to pick up a comfortable victory, but Ipswich produced a spirited fightback to narrow the gap to just four points after heat 12. However, Belle Vue had just about enough to get the job done and pick up three league points. Nicholls top scored with 15+1.

Nicholls won heat one, but it ended in a 3-3 as Dan Bewley got past Dan Thompson for a point late on in the race. Heat two was awarded as a maximum to the away side with Rew going into the fence as he chased Jake Mulford to the line. Rew was subsequently withdrawn from the meeting, adding further to Ipswich’s injury woes and leaving them with five riders for the second Thursday in succession. Danny King took victory in a shared heat three and the hosts clawed back two points in heat four as Nicholls picked up another win and Jordan Jenkins was third for a 4-2 that left the score 11-13.

Belle Vue raced to a maximum in heat five and Brady Kurtz couldn’t be caught as heat six ended in a 3-3. King was a winner again in heat seven as the points were shared. The away team hit another 1-5 in heat eight and were already well on the way to victory being 19-29 in front.

Heat nine ended in a 3-3 and the visitors recorded a heat advantage in heat 10 as Jaimon Lidsey beat Nicholls and Ben Cook nicked a point on the line. Nicholls was brought in as a tactical substitute in heat 11 and it worked a treat as he followed Jenkins home for a 5-1. Despite being down to just five riders, the home team kept on battling and brought themselves right back into the tie with another maximum in heat 12 courtesy of King and Jenkins, making it 34-38.

However, Belle Vue then eased the pressure with a maximum in heat 13 and sealed victory in heat 14 despite a 4-2 to the Witches as Jenkins took the chequered flag. Heat 15 was awarded as a 2-4 to the away team as Bewley won ahead of Nicholls and King was excluded as he fell at the start of the final lap with Lidsey coming under him, making the final result 41-49 to the Manchester outfit.

REACTION FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s defeat against Belle Vue.

“It was a night we knew was always going to be really tough and that task became a lot tougher with Keynan crashing out in heat two. It was great to have Scott back in the side and he led the team brilliantly at number one. Danny was back on form as well and those two held the meeting together for us in the first part and then you saw the difference it made when Jordan clicked in mid-meeting. That really kept us in it and kept it interesting but understandably a five-man team wasn’t going to be good enough against a solid Belle Vue outfit.

“It was a spectacular crash for Keynan, but the early signs are quite positive that it is nothing too serious. He is very sore, and we will have to see how he goes over the next few days to see if he is fit for Monday or not.

“I was really pleased with the lads and the effort they showed. On Monday night we folded and had no answers but tonight we kept fighting and it is positive to see that going forward showing it was a one-off on Monday. We were back to that same mentality of fighting all the way to the end tonight.

“It is brilliant to see Jordan click into form, and it is something I have talked a lot about with him this year that his time is going to come. We need him firing for the business end of the season and he has certainly kept working hard and is making changes and that is brilliant. I’m pleased for him, but it is a shame that the top end of the team is decimated because with how Jordan is going, we certainly would be a formidable outfit.

“It is the end of a really tough period after three home defeats. We have done absolutely everything we could off the track to get the best teams out possible. We have got one more week of league action next week home and away against Birmingham and we will be looking at using lots of guests again. We will put out the best team possible and will fight for two wins next week as we look to get back to a more regular line-up for the cup final and go into that with better form as we look to retain the trophy.”

RN EUSTON & GEORGE BAKER SHIPPING RIDERS OF THE NIGHT

RN Euston selected Jenkins who scored 11+1 from reserve.

George Baker Shipping went for top scorer Nicholls.

WHAT IT MEANS

Belle Vue go above Ipswich into third after picking up three points including the aggregate bonus point following their big win over the Witches at the National Speedway Stadium.

UP NEXT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Birmingham to take on the Brummies on Monday 26th August in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.

RACEDAY PREVIEW: BELLE VUE – ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R2 (H)

Posted on ,

By Henry Chard

All the details ahead of our ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture with Belle Vue.

WHEN & WHERE

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Belle Vue Aces at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 22nd August in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture. Parade: 7.30pm, first race: 7:45pm.

MEETING SPONSORS

RN Euston – RN Euston Limited has supplied steel framed buildings in East Anglia for over 40 years.  Established by Ray Euston the business has grown steadily over the years and now Ray works in partnership with his son Mark.  The company is based in Suffolk and work all over East Anglia where they have gained a reliable reputation.

George Baker Shipping – George Baker (Shipping) Ltd has been a household name within the freight community for over 40 years. Despite its growth and success, George Baker Shipping continues to adhere to the same core values on which the company was founded. To this day, the business remains in the Baker family and is now under the ownership of George and Libby’s children, David Baker and Sharon Binns. Over 40 years on, the company is renowned as customs specialists, whilst also being recognised for its diversified and innovative high-quality logistics services.

TEAMS

IPSWICH: 1. Scott Nicholls (G) 9.36 2. Dan Thompson 5.02 (RS) 3. Danny King 6.98 © 4. Zach Cook (G) 5.63 5. R/R for Emil Sayfutdinov 9.04 6. Keynan Rew 4.77 7. Jordan Jenkins 3.66. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

BELLE VUE: 1. Dan Bewley 8.96 2. Norick Blödorn 5.23 3. Jaimon Lidsey 7.63 4. Ben Cook 6.58 5. Brady Kurtz 8.65 © 6. Antti Vuolas 4.55 7. Jake Mulford (RS). Team Manager: Mark Lemon

REFEREE: P. Carrington

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

TeamMeetingsPoints
Sheffield2138
Leicester2134
Ipswich2134
Belle Vue2031
Oxford2225
King’s Lynn*1914
Birmingham226
*King’s Lynn deducted 2 league points on 18.05.24 for breach of SCB rules.

TICKETS

Tickets are available to buy online (until 7pm on raceday) and on the gate and are priced at £23 for adults and £21 for concessions (65+) & students (21 & under). Tickets for children aged 6-16 are £1 whilst children 5 & under go free. Official programmes are priced at £3.50 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 ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches end a busy spell at Foxhall on Thursday evening when they take on the Belle Vue Aces in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

The busy schedule has coincided with an injury-crisis as Emil Sayfutdinov joined long-term absentee Jason Doyle on the sidelines and Adam Ellis suffered a bang to the head meaning a mandatory period out. Scott Nicholls guests for Doyle whilst Zach Cook deputises for Ellis. Rider replacement will be in operation for Sayfutdinov.

There is no hiding that the team are going through a tough period having suffered their first two home defeats of the season in the last week with injuries taking their toll on the side. Having spent the majority of the season at the top of the table, top spot now looks out of reach, but a play-off spot is already confirmed for the Suffolk side. Thursday presents a new opportunity, and two points is the objective for Ritchie Hawkins’ men who would have to produce something very special to take the aggregate bonus point as well having been beaten 26-58 in Manchester earlier in the season.

FROM THE BOSS

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…

“Scott is back, and we will use him as often as possible, he has been brilliant this season. We have had to get a guest for Adam until he serves his mandatory suspension for concussion, so Zach comes in for him and he is a rider we have talked to a little bit over the last couple of years. It will be great to see how he goes, he has been in and out with Birmingham this year but is certainly an improving rider and is doing well at the moment. It will be good to have him part of the side for the first time.

“We will have to go with R/R for Emil, we tried to get a guest and tried a few riders from Leicester after their great performance last week but none of them were available. We know that means it puts a lot of pressure on the other boys in the team and it will be a tough night but if they can all perform to their best then we have still got a good shout of winning the meeting.

“Emil is back home now and recovering from his injury and we hope to have a clearer picture on things soon.

“At the moment we are going through a tough period, we have lost the spearhead of the team, so we have got a choice. As a team we can fold in, as a club we can give up or we can all band together and support each other. I would certainly like to do the latter and I hope everyone will support the team who have been superb for near-on two seasons now. They have done the town and club proud, and it is a side that I am proud to be a part of. When times are tough it is when we need the support most and I would really appreciate everyone backing us and supporting the boys on Thursday night in this tough time.”

THE ACES

Belle Vue sit fourth in the table but are still in the mix to finish top of the table after another strong campaign. The foundations to their good form have once again been made at home where they have been beaten just once. The Aces find it tougher on the road though with just two wins and seven defeats on their travels. The aggregate bonus point is the minimum the Aces will be after on Thursday as they look to take advantage of Ipswich’s injury troubles and if they were to pick up three points it would set them up nicely for home and away fixtures against leaders Sheffield which could be decisive in the race to finish top.

The visitors have two new reserves since they last took on the Witches with Antti Vuolas and Jake Mulford being signed to replace the duo of Tate Zischke and Connor Bailey.