Ipswich skipper Danny King admits his side will need to raise the bar after delivering a precious 48-42 victory for the Tru7 Group Witches at home to Sheffield on Monday.
The 2025 Rowe Motor Oil Premiership champions struggled to pull clear of the Tigers, who stayed within six points of them all evening, with the sides level at 39-39 after heat 13.
But Witches hero Tom Brennan led Danish star Kevin Juhl Pedersen to a vital 4-2 over the impressive Leon Flint and Luke Killeen in race 14, before captain King led a fantastic 5-1 with Polish racer Tobiasz Musielak in a last-heat decider to secure the win for the Witches.
Ipswich now needs just two points from their remaining two meetings to be certain of Premiership play-off qualification, and they could secure their spot with victory at home to league leaders Belle Vue on Thursday. They also travel to Leicester next Monday.
While the Witches lost the aggregate bonus point 93-87 to the Tigers, King was pleased to lead his side to victory on 13 points, while Musielak also starred on 12 paid 14 as Ipswich bids to hit top form for the play-offs.
Reflecting on a tense evening, King said: “It’s so stressful when it’s that tight, and especially when we know we need the points. Obviously the plan was to try and get the bonus, but they were just too strong. Every time we won a race and rode well, they tucked in and got the 3-3.
“It went down to the wire. That was a big race in heat 14 to get the heat advantage and take a little bit of pressure off, but we still needed to go and finish the job in heat 15.
“You could have cut the tension with a knife. Everyone knows the pressure the guys in heat 15 have got. Everyone is behind you and geeing you up, but you know they are feeling it as well.
“It’s nice when you have a team like this. But I still think we need to do a little more if we are going to push for and do something in the play-offs. It’s there – we just have to get it out of us.”
The Witches face a tough test against possible play-off semi-final opponents Belle Vue in their final home fixture of the regular season on Thursday. King hopes Witches’ Foxhall form will see them deliver the points they need to guarantee at least fourth place.
He said: “The way the season has gone, we have done really well at home. We just have to believe in ourselves and get the job done. They’re a solid outfit, as we know. It’s going to be another tough meeting. We just have to step up and do our jobs.”
The Aces match sees Aussie icon Jason Doyle make his return to Ipswich – the club he led to Premiership glory in 2025. But King is hopeful Witches’ class of 2026 can get the better of the 2017 Speedway GP world champion.
He said: “We all know what Jason is about. He is a fantastic rider, and he knows this place well. It’s going to be tough, but we have to do our jobs and show him it’s our home track, and not his, this year.”
Advance tickets for Witches’ huge home clash with leaders Belle Vue, led by world No.2 Brady Kurtz and Doyle, are available online HERE now. Cash will also be accepted at turnstiles on race day with card payments available at the entrance to the right.
For those fans unable to make it to Foxhall, they can also enjoy the Aces showdown live on WitchesTV HERE.
FINAL SCORES
IPSWICH TRU7 GROUP WITCHES 48: 1. Richard Lawson 4+1, 2. Adam Ellis 8+1, 3. Danny King 13, 4. Tom Brennan 6+2, 5. Tobiasz Musielak 12+2, 6. Kevin Juhl Pedersen 3, 7. Jason Edwards 2.
SHEFFIELD TIGERS 42: 1. Rider Replacement – Jack Holder, 2. Anders Rowe 2+1, 3. Chris Holder 6+1, 4. Leon Flint 11, 5. Josh Pickering 10+1, 6. Jye Etheridge 8+3, 7. Luke Killeen 5.