By Stephen Waller
SCORECARD
BELLE VUE 40: Brady Kurtz © 12, Norick Blödorn 0 (Withdrawn), Jaimon Lidsey 5, Zach Cook 3, Dan Bewley 13+1, Tate Zischke 5+1, Jake Mulford (RS) 2. Team Manager: Mark Lemon
IPSWICH 50: Jason Doyle 9+1, Danny King © 8+2, Adam Ellis 5+1, Tom Brennan 8, Emil Sayfutdinov 7+1, Dan Thompson 8+2, Jordan Jenkins (RS) 5+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: M. Breckon
KNOCKOUT CUP DRAW
QUARTER-FINALS – FIRST LEG: Birmingham 33-57 Leicester, King’s Lynn 53-37 Oxford, Belle Vue 40-50 Ipswich
THE REPORT
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches stormed to an impressive 10-point victory, in the first leg of their Knockout Cup quarter-final tie against the Belle Vue Aces, in Manchester on Monday night.
It was a solid team performance that saw the Suffolk side celebrating their first ever victory at the National Speedway Stadium, with every rider enjoying at least a paid win.
On a well-prepared track the Witches took the lead in heat four and although the home side closed to within two points, with a 5-1 in the seventh, the visitors were soon back in control, following a trio of mid-meeting heat advantages.
The fast-starting Witches pairing of Jason Doyle and Danny King were soon picked off by Brady Kurtz, early in the opening heat, in a share of the spoils, before Dan Thompson split the home pairing in the second.
That left the Witches trailing by two, but they were soon level again. Adam Ellis raced away from the home pairing in the third, holding off the spirited challenge of Jamon Lidsey, with Tom Brennan building speed at the back and passing Zack Cook on the run to the line for the visitors first heat advantage of the night.
Emil Sayfutdinov then comfortably won heat four, from Dan Bewley and with Jordan Jenkins finishing in third it was the Witches holding a two-point lead.
Doyle and King then raced to a 5-1 over Cook and Lidsey in the fifth, to extend the Witches lead to six and with Thompson and Sayfutdinov filling the minor places behind Kurtz in the sixth the visitors kept their advantage.
The home side then hit back with their own 5-1 in the seventh, to reduce the deficit to just two points, but a mid-meeting rally settled any nerves the Witches may have felt.
King was to hit the track in the eighth, after a knock from Norick Blödorn going into the first bend. In the re-run the Witches pairing were away at the front until Blödorn, coming from way back picked up drive and clipped Jenkins’ rear wheel before crashing out. The referee awarded the heat as a Witches maximum.
Another followed from Sayfutdinov and Thompson in the ninth, to take the visitors 10 points to the good and they extended this to twelve, with a 4-2 in the tenth, Brennan pulled out a big ride to hold off the previously unbeaten Kurtz and Ellis picking up third.
Heats eleven and twelve were shared before Kurtz and Bewley defeated Doyle and Sayfutdinov in the thirteenth. That reduced the Witches advantage to eight but the win on the night was secured in the penultimate heat with Brennan and Thompson scoring maximum points.
Bewley held off Doyle for the win in heat fifteen and with Kurtz finishing third the home side had clawed a couple back, but it is the Witches who will be feeling confident of getting the job done when the two sides race the second leg at Foxhall on Thursday.
RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Monday’s win at Belle Vue…
“Everyone contributed to this result, it was good team performance, and every rider had a win or a paid win. We had very few last places, we’re a very solid side and everyone can go away happy with their own performances, as well as obviously the team, it was a great win.
“Dan was brilliant, especially as he had been feeling under the weather. His progress carries on an upward spiral. I know he scored great points, but he really showed his racing brain tonight, with some brilliant moves.
“We weren’t getting carried away at all as we’ve had good starts to meetings there before. In the seventh they got a 5-1 to pull a few back, but whilst we’ve dropped away in the second half of meetings there before, we didn’t tonight and kept pushing right to the end and to come away with a 10-point win is great.
“I thought the track was good and there was some really good racing tonight. It would have been a good meeting to watch. It was nice to have good weather there and not to race in really wet conditions. Danny King is fine after his fall; it was a classic unsatisfactory start. I was really pleased to see him start the season so strong. I just think overall it’s so positive for everyone we’ve not shown any rustiness, and that goes down to the preparation that the boys put in through the winter.
“Tom changed bikes after two rides and was extremely quick after that, which is good to see after a tough first couple of rides that he can then turn it on for a couple of wins.
“Anything can happen, certainly at these early stages of a season and Belle Vue are an extremely good side. They are league champions for good reason. We certainly can’t relax going into Thursday but if we share the same level of focus and commitment as we did tonight, it’s with us to get the job done and progress.”
RIDER OF THE NIGHT
Fans online voted for Thompson as the star man for Ipswich after the reserve scored 8+2 after four second place finishes.
WHAT IT MEANS
Ipswich take a healthy 10-point lead back to Suffolk for the second leg of the quarter-final on Thursday at Foxhall.
NEXT FIXTURE
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the Belle Vue Aces at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 27th March in a Knockout Cup quarter-final second leg fixture. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.