The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Sheffield to face the Tigers at Owlerton Stadium on Wednesday 3rd September in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R2 fixture that starts at 7.30pm.
LINE-UPS
SHEFFIELD: 1. Jack Holder 9.32 2. Leon Flint (RS) 6.57 3. Chris Holder 7.31 4. Nick Morris 6.13 5. Josh Pickering © 8.04 6. Anders Rowe 5.68 7. Jye Etheridge 3.34. Team Manager: Simon Stead
IPSWICH: 1. Emil Sayfutdinov 8.34 2. Danny King © 6.95 3. Chris Harris (G) 7.76 4. Dan Thompson 6.06 5. Tom Brennan 7.28 6. Kyle Howarth (G) 6.02 7. Jason Edwards (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: W. Dishington
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Ipswich | 22 | 43 |
| Leicester | 23 | 39 |
| Sheffield | 22 | 38 |
| Belle Vue | 24 | 37 |
| King’s Lynn | 24 | 30 |
| Oxford | 23 | 11 |
| Birmingham | 24 | 6 |
TICKET NEWS
Tickets are available to purchase on the gate.
THE PREVIEW
The Witches race their final away fixture of the regular ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign on Wednesday at Sheffield.
The two sides were due to meet last Thursday at Owlerton but a pre-meeting downpour saw the meeting postponed. Ipswich hold a five-point lead in the table over the Tigers, and they need just a point (Draw/Super Heat defeat) from the two remaining fixtures to confirm a first-placed finish which would see Ritchie Hawkins’ side face Belle Vue in the play-off semi-final.
The visitors will be without Jason Doyle and Adam Ellis who both have Danish league commitments with Chris Harris and Kyle Howarth coming in as guests. With the new averages, Dan Thompson moves into the main body of the side and Emil Sayfutdinov is at number one.
The Suffolk side’s last visit to South Yorkshire went to the wire as Sheffield claimed a 46-44 win back in May.
MANAGER’S NOTES
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…
“Unfortunately, we will be without Jason and Adam who have Danish fixtures which takes priority. We bring in Bomber and we always know what we are getting with Chris, and he is certainly not someone who will be intimidated by the Sheffield track and we know he goes well there. There is a reason Chris gets so many guest bookings. Adam would have missed last week anyway but he came through practice and a meeting in Poland last week so he will be racing for his Danish team on Wednesday. We have brought Kyle Howarth in, and he captained Sheffield for a long time and knows the place well, we couldn’t ask to bring in a better guest than him. Two good lads that will fit in and we will look to stir Sheffield up and we still have a line-up capable of winning.
“We have had a change in riding order, but we knew it was coming for a while, certainly with Emil and we knew there was a good chance Dan would move up which he has done. We have been planning for this in the last few weeks, and I like this formation we have got out; it will be hard to tell on Wednesday as we have got guests in. Emil and Jason are two number ones anyway, so it doesn’t make a difference which way round they ride. Dan had time in the team last year and held himself very well and he has another year of experience now and he is more than capable of riding in the team anyway. He can be just as strong in the side and I have zero worries about him moving up, I knew it would happen.
“Our situation is pretty clear now, if Sheffield win both meetings they will finish top and they will be racing Belle Vue in the semi-final and if we win one of them then we know we will be. We have two shots at it and Wednesday is more of a free hit because we know we have a home meeting on Thursday, and we expect to win all of our home meetings because we are strong at Foxhall.”
SHEFFIELD TIGERS
Sheffield, like Ipswich, have already secured their place in the play-offs and still hold ambitions to overhaul the Witches and finish top of the table. To do that, they must beat the Suffolk side home and away this week (with no Super Heats). Such a scenario would see them pick up five points and go level on points at the top, but they would boast a better points difference. The Tigers are strong on their home patch and have only been beaten once at Owlerton by Leicester.
The hosts have made changes since last facing Ipswich with Nick Morris and Jye Etheridge replacing Lewis Kerr and Justin Sedgmen. Rising Star Leon Flint is now in the main body of the side with Anders Rowe now at reserve.
LAST TIME OUT IN SHEFFIELD
The Witches last travelled to Sheffield in May of this season. Ipswich went into the fixture with a 100% record in the league whilst the Tigers were looking to preserve their unbeaten home record and there was never more than four points between the two sides throughout the contest. Ipswich held a two-point lead heading into the final race of the night after a heat 14 maximum, but the home team responded in the final heat with a 5-1 to snatch victory. Jason Doyle top scored with 10+1.
AWAY DAYS
An adult ticket costs £25, concessions (over 65s & students) £23, juniors (aged 12-17) £5 whilst children aged 11 under cost £1. Official programmes cost £4. 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.
Press Officer at Ipswich Speedway