MEETING SPONSORS

Suffolk Floor Restore – Suffolk Floor Restore is a family run business that provide a professional stone and tile cleaning. 

MJS Building Services – With more than 25 years of building trade experience, they are able to undertake all aspects of building, renovation and improvement work. Their work ethic allows them a friendly relationship with their customers, and they pride themselves on their ability to work in a clean and tidy environment to provide a good professional job which their customers are happy with.

SCORECARD

IPSWICH 46: Emil Sayfutdinov 9+2, Danny King © 6+1, Tom Brennan 7+1, Keynan Rew (G) 7+1, Jason Doyle 10, Dan Thompson 5+2, Jason Edwards (RS) 2. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

LEICESTER 43: Max Fricke © 13, Luke Becker 5+2, Ryan Douglas 9, Kyle Howarth 4, Sam Masters 7, Drew Kemp 5+1, Joe Thompson (RS) 0. Team Manager: Stewart Dickson

REFEREE: S. Perkin

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE

Team	Meetings	Points
Sheffield	24	43
Ipswich	24	43
Leicester	24	42
Belle Vue	24	37
King’s Lynn	24	30
Oxford	24	11
Birmingham	24	6

PLAY-OFFS

SEMI-FINALS:

1st Leg: Belle Vue 48-42 Ipswich, 2nd Leg: Ipswich 59-31 Belle Vue

1st Leg: Sheffield 46-43 Leicester, 2nd Leg: Leicester 47-43 Sheffield

FINAL

1^st Leg: Leicester 43-47 Ipswich, 2^nd Leg: Ipswich 46-43 Leicester

THE REPORT

The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches were crowned ROWE Motor Oil Premiership champions on Thursday night at Foxhall.

The hosts came into the second leg of the Play-Off final with a four-point lead after victory at the Hydroscand Arena on Monday and sealed top-flight glory for the first time in 27 years in the last heat of the night after a tight encounter in Suffolk.

The Witches had Keynan Rew guesting for Adam Ellis who was ruled out with injury after a crash in Monday’s first leg and they had extended their aggregate lead to 10 points after four races. However, the Lions hung in there and rallied towards the end of the tie taking it to a last-heat decider where the home team just needed a rider to finish the race to secure the title, which they did in front of a jubilant home crowd. Jason Doyle top scored with 10 points.

There was a false start to proceedings in heat one after an issue with the green light and in the re-run the points were shared. Dan Thompson won heat two as Jason Edwards picked up a point for a 4-2. Heat three was stopped as Ryan Douglas fell under pressure from Tom Brennan on the first turn of the second lap and the Lions rider was excluded. Rew won the re-run and Tom Brennan held off Kyle Howarth for second for the first maximum of the night to the home team. The points were shared in heat four leaving the Witches 15-9 in front and 10 points up on aggregate.

The visitors responded in heat five with a maximum before another stoppage in heat six. Sam Masters led the race but fell as Danny King came underneath him going into the third turn and the Witches skipper was excluded. The race was awarded as a 3-2 to the Lions with Drew Kemp having already retired at the back at the time of the stoppage. Further drama came in heat seven as Kyle Howarth sent Doyle flying into the air fence on the third turn of the opening lap with the home team on a 5-1. Howarth was duly excluded but partner Douglas won the re-run. King took victory in heat eight as Edwards rounded Joe Thompson for third for a 4-2 to make it 25-22 on the night and 72-65 on aggregate.

Ipswich registered a 5-1 in heat nine courtesy of Brennan and Rew before the points were shared in heat 10. Doyle took the chequered flag in a heat 11 3-3 before Leicester got themselves a 4-2 in heat 12 as Douglas won and Kemp beat Dan Thompson on the run to the line for third. That made the score 38-33 on the night and 85-76 on aggregate with just three to race.

Heat 13 was stopped, and Doyle was warned for moving at the start and he was forced to jump on King’s bike for the re-run with his own bike suffering mechanical issues. Doyle made the gate in the re-run, but Fricke got the better of him to win in a 3-3. The Lions then raced to a maximum in heat 14 as Rew couldn’t find a way past the duo of Howarth and Kemp, leaving Ipswich all but there going into the final race of the night with a five-point lead on aggregate. That meant the Witches just needed a rider to finish the race in heat 15 to secure the title. Sayfutdinov led the race before Douglas got out of shape and fell whilst third. The referee decided to award the race, meaning Ipswich were top-flight champions for the first time since 1998 and the celebrations could begin in Suffolk.

RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION

Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s win over Leicester…

“It was an amazing night for everyone involved at the club. We had a massive crowd in, thank you to everyone who came to support. We have won it for them and all the local sponsors. We have terrific support here and we have waited a long time for this moment. I am so proud to be part of a team that have managed to bring a trophy back.

“The meeting was another close affair which we expected. Leicester battled hard and they are a superb team, and it wasn’t a surprise to me at all how close it was. I felt we needed to win at Leicester. I hope it was a great final for everyone watching and we are buzzing to come out on the right end of it.

“For me it has been a long time coming but Danny has been here since he was 16. We spoke before the meeting about how many meetings he has raced for the club in the quest to get to this moment and for him to finally achieve that is overdue before he ends up retiring.

“Chris Louis has been absolutely amazing to work with. For what he does for the club and British speedway, you can see why we are the best supported club in the country. The way the town gets behind us and the local sponsorship we have is amazing. That is down to Chris’ efforts. I will be forever thankful for the opportunity he has given me to be part of it.

“You saw how much the club means to the town when you saw how many people were here tonight and how happy everyone was. What a week for the town and I am truly blessed to be a part of it.”

WHAT IT MEANS

Ipswich are crowned ROWE Motor Oil Premiership champions whilst Leicester are runners-up for the second year in a row.

NEXT FIXTURE

Foxhall Stadium hosts Tiger’s Academy Open on Thursday 16^th October, an individual meeting showcasing the best of the British youth scene. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.