By Henry Chard
THE SCORES
BELLE VUE 49: Dan Bewley 9+1, Norick Blödorn 8+1, Jaimon Lidsey 5, Charles Wright 8, Brady Kurtz © 8+1, Tom Brennan 10+4, Connor Bailey (RS) 1. Team Manager: Mark Lemon
IPSWICH 41: Emil Sayfutdinov 13+1, Keynan Rew 5, Danny King © 10, Erik Riss 1+1, Jason Doyle 5, Danyon Hume 3, Dan Thompson (RS) 4+2. Team Manager: Chris Louis
REFEREE: S. Perkin
SPORTS INSURE PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Belle Vue | 19 | 35 |
| Leicester | 13 | 25 |
| Wolverhampton | 15 | 24 |
| Sheffield | 13 | 20 |
| Ipswich | 16 | 15 |
| King’s Lynn | 14 | 7 |
| Peterborough | 14 | 3 |
THE STORY
The Ipswich ‘Tru Mix’ Witches fell to defeat at Belle Vue on Monday night in the Sports Insure Premiership despite a spirited display in Manchester.
The Witches went into the meeting two points down on aggregate having lost at Foxhall last week against the Aces and there was nothing to separate the two sides at the National Speedway Stadium after nine races with the scores level. However, the table-toppers finished strongly with three maximums in the last six races to secure the win and the bonus point. Emil Sayfutdinov top scored with 13+1.
Sayfutdinov won a shared heat one by some distance and it was another 3-3 in heat two as Tom Brennan took victory. Charles Wright won heat three as the points were shared again but the Aces edged in front in heat four with a 4-2 as Jason Doyle was forced to retire early on in the race with bike troubles, a result that put Belle Vue 13-11 up.
Keynan Rew took the chequered flag in heat five ahead of Jaimon Lidsey who managed to keep Sayfutdinov behind him, giving the Witches a heat advantage that levelled the score. Belle Vue restored their lead in heat six with a 4-2 before the Witches were on a 5-1 in heat seven with Danny King and Erik Riss at the front but both Brady Kurtz and Brennan passed the German to secure the 3-3. Norick Blödorn won heat eight as Rew went from last to second at the start of the second lap and Dan Thompson continued his good night with a third place for another shared heat that left the score finely poised at 25-23.
Doyle and Lidsey were battling at the front in heat nine, but the Belle Vue man suffered bike problems and retired at the end of the opening lap, leaving Doyle to race to a comfortable win as the visitors hit a heat advantage to level the score again. The Aces then went back in front in heat 10 with a 5-1 as both Dan Bewley and Blödorn passed early leader Riss. Sayfutdinov fired himself to victory with a stunning move on the opening lap of heat 11 as he dived under Kurtz at the end of the back straight as it ended in a 3-3. The home team extended their lead in heat 12 with another maximum as Lidsey raced to victory and Brennan won the battle to the line against King to give the league leaders a 40-32 lead.
Heat 13 was stopped with Sayfutdinov at the front as Doyle came under Bewley late on in the race to take second with the Belle Vue man hitting the deck. The referee decided that Doyle caused the fall, and he was excluded, with the race being awarded as a 3-3. Stand-in team manager Chris Louis put Sayfutdinov back out in heat 14 as a tactical substitute but he was ruthlessly taken to the fence by Wright in the first turn and did well to stay on the bike. However, he could not make up the ground as the Aces raced to a 5-1 to secure the win and the aggregate bonus point. Wright was then excluded from heat 15 for moving at the start having already been warned earlier in the meeting and was replaced by Brennan. Bewley packed up on the first turn of the re-run as King raced to victory and Sayfutdinov got the better of Brennan on the final turn for a Witches 1-5 to end the evening, but it was ultimately a fruitless trip to the National Speedway Stadium.
REACTION FROM THE PROMOTER
Ipswich ‘Tru Mix’ Witches promoter Chris Louis reflects on Monday’s defeat to Belle Vue.
“I felt for the lads a bit because they hung in until heat 12 and then it got away from us a little bit. We looked like we were bringing it back in heat 13 with Jason and Emil but the decision went against Jason. To be fair it was the decision I expected from the ref, that isn’t me saying it was the right decision, I thought Dan went down a bit softly and I feel Jason’s frustration. We have seen it so many times the other way round and he keeps getting excluded when he is taken off. I fully understand and appreciate why he was so frustrated after that.
“Emil wasn’t taken off in heat 14, it was a very hard move but that is speedway, when you need the result that is what you have got to do, so I didn’t have a problem with it. It was tough for Emil but overall, it was a better performance. I thought the lads tried very hard and it is a shame they didn’t get more for their efforts.
“Dan was excellent, I was toying with whether it should be Erik or Dan in heat 14 and we had to make a change in that race obviously, but it wasn’t an easy decision who should be replaced.
“With the position we are in, it wasn’t enough, that is the bottom line. We won’t throw the towel in whilst it is mathematically possible. In theory we have a few easier meetings, and we will see what we can do and all we can do is try to win.”
RIDER OF THE NIGHT
Sayfutdinov was once again the leading light for Ipswich, but special mention must go to Thompson who picked up paid six from three rides at reserve.
WHAT IT MEANS
Belle Vue further strengthen their position at the top of the table after adding three points to their tally. Ipswich stay fifth after failing to pick up any points.
UP NEXT
The Ipswich ‘Tru Mix’ Witches host the Peterborough Panthers at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 20th July in the Sports Insure Premiership. Tickets can be purchased online in advance here and on the gate.
Digital Media Manager at Ipswich Speedway