By Henry Chard
WHEN AND WHERE…
The ‘Tru Plant’ Witches host the Poole Pirates at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 16th May in a Premiership Supporters Cup clash that starts at 7.30pm.
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THE TEAMS…
IPSWICH: 1.Chris Harris 7.82 2. Richard Lawson 6.93 3. Danny King 6.38 © 4. David Bellego 6.14 5. Krystian Pieszczek 6.50 6. Cameron Heeps 4.84 7. Jake Allen 4.67. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
POOLE: 1. Jack Holder 7.43 2. Richie Worrall 5.65 3. Tobiasz Musielak (g) 6.74 4. Josh Grajczonek 6.73 © 5. Scott Nicholls (g) 6.87 6. Nico Covatti 4.53 7. Nicolaj Busk Jakobsen 4.39 Team Manager: Garry May
REFEREE: A. Steele
VENUE: Foxhall Stadium
SOUTHERN GROUP SUPPORTERS CUP TABLE…
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Swindon | 5 | 10 |
| Ipswich | 5 | 7 |
| King’s Lynn | 3 | 6 |
| Poole | 3 | 5 |
TICKET OFFICE…
Tickets are available on the gate and are priced at £18 for adults, £16 for concessions (60+), £5 for students (16-17). Children 15 and under go free. Official programmes are priced at £3 and are available at the stadium. Car parking is free for all supporters. Debit and credit card payments are accepted.
WHAT’S THE STORY?
The ‘Tru Plant’ Witches complete their Premiership Supporters Cup group matches on Thursday at home to Poole. Ipswich were in Dorset last week facing the Pirates as they lost 46-44 after a last heat decider went the way of the home side after a strong showing all night from the Witches. That result leaves the Witches all but out of the competition and needing an unlikely set of results elsewhere to stand any chance of progression to the final. All the home side can do is concentrate on their own form now and continue their 100% home record so far this season.
Ipswich come into the tie in buoyant mood after a resounding win away at Peterborough in the league on Monday and although cup progression may be unlikely they will be keen to continue the momentum that is building at the club as the league season begins to really get going. All seven riders contributed to Monday’s victory and the riding order stays the same for this cup clash as the team welcome the champions to Foxhall.
Fans are reminded that the Witches riders for heat 14 will be chosen by them. Look out for the Twitter poll on our official account after heat 10, you have 15 minutes to cast your vote for the Witch you want to see in heat 14 and the top two in the poll will be the riders that compete in the heat. The two riders chosen in heat 14 will not be permitted to take part in heat 15.
FROM THE MANAGER…
‘Tru Plant’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins looks ahead to Thursday’s clash…
“We have got to get a home win, I don’t see the set of results we need happening, but we just need to concentrate on getting another home win and building the confidence ahead of Monday. We have made a great start to the season we need to keep the ball rolling and keep winning matches so that it becomes the norm.
“Our confidence is increasing every week and we need to keep winning and keep that up.
“I think Poole have a very good side coming to our place and it will be a really tough meeting, probably the toughest we have had so far. We will need to be on top of our game, if we let our standards drop a bit they will beat us.”
THE PIRATES…
Poole start 2019 as reigning league champions and the Pirates have undoubtedly been speedway’s most successful side of the modern era with eight top flight titles since 2003. They sit bottom of the Supporters Cup group going into Thursday’s meeting but can still progress to the final if they find form in their final three meetings. To progress they must pick up points on the road and they will be keen to pick up at least a point in Suffolk to enhance their chances of progression.
The away side are missing two riders on Thursday in Nicolai Klindt and Brady Kurtz, with both riders having Swedish commitments that take priority over Supporters Cup matches that are not recognised as an ‘official’ competition. However, they remain a strong side with two more than adequate guests in Swindon’s Tobias Musielak and Ipswich track expert Scott Nicholls. One man who will receive a warm welcome is Nico Covatti who spent the last four seasons at Foxhall and he could be a danger from the reserve positions. Team manager Neil Middleditch is unavailable for personal reasons and Garry May steps in.
AROUND THE TRACKS…
In the Premiership Wolverhampton continued their 100% record this season with a 51-39 win over King’s Lynn at Monmore Green on Monday night. Ipswich beat Peterborough 51-39 away from home on Monday to top table.
Digital Media Manager at Ipswich Speedway