By Henry Chard
THE SCORES
KING’S LYNN 41: Lewis Kerr (G) 1, Benjamin Basso R/R, Jan Kvěch 9+1, Niels Kristian Iversen © 15+1, Zach Cook (G) 5, Patryk Wojdylo 6+2, Anders Rowe (RS) 5+1. Team Manager: Rob Lyon
IPSWICH 49: Jason Doyle R/R, Adam Ellis 7+1, Emil Sayfutdinov 13+1, Dan Thompson (RS) 3+1, Danny King © 12, Keynan Rew 13+1, Jordan Jenkins 1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: A. Steele
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Ipswich | 17 | 31 |
| Sheffield | 16 | 27 |
| Belle Vue | 17 | 24 |
| Oxford | 19 | 20 |
| Leicester | 15 | 19 |
| King’s Lynn* | 13 | 9 |
| Birmingham | 15 | 6 |
THE STORY
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches got back to winning ways in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with a win at King’s Lynn on Thursday night in the East Anglian derby.
The hosts came into the fixture without the injured duo of Benjamin Basso and Nicolai Klindt with rider replacement being used for Basso and Zach Cook in as a guest for Klindt. Lewis Kerr was also a guest for the home team in place of Tobiasz Musielak who has left the club. The Witches had rider replacement for the injured Doyle but were otherwise at full strength. The away side went in front early on, but it was all level again after nine heats of racing. However, Ipswich found another gear to power themselves to the win. Emil Sayfutdinov and Keynan Rew top scored with 13+1
The visitors kicked things off with a maximum in heat one courtesy of Danny King and Adam Ellis, but it was all square again after heat two. Sayfutdinov won heat three as the away side went back in front with a heat advantage and they added another 2-4 in heat four as King won again, putting the Suffolk side 10-14 up.
The Stars registered a 4-2 of their own in heat five before King continued his winning streak in heat six and he was joined by Rew for a 1-5. Sayfutdinov took victory in a shared heat seven as the Norfolk outfit registered another 4-2 in heat eight to narrow the score to 22-26.
It was all level after heat nine as King’s Lynn raced to a 5-1 but the away side hit back in heat 10 with a maximum of their own thanks to Sayfutdinov and Dan Thompson. Rew won heat 11 as Ipswich recorded a 2-4 to extend their lead. The Witches edged closer to victory in heat 12 thanks to a 1-5 from Rew and Sayfutidnov which put them 31-41 in front.
The home team kept themselves in with a shout with a 4-2 in heat 13 as tactical substitute Niels Kristian Iversen won but it was game, set and match after heat 14 as Rew won a shared heat 14. King came out to win heat 15 in a 3-3 as Ipswich celebrated yet another win against their local rivals.
REACTION FROM THE BOSS
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s win at King’s Lynn.
“Away wins are always great, and it is another one here. I felt it was a meeting we should win but it was one we could certainly slip up in and not. I think it was vital for our league position, keeping a cushion at the top and I felt the boys battled really hard and I am really happy with all of them.
“Emil was class again and Danny started the meeting on fire, and he flies around this place so I kind of expected that from him. After a couple of tough rides, it was great to see him win heat 15 and finish with another win. Keynan took a couple of rides to get his head up because he has not done well here in the past but by his last two rides he was as quick as anyone here and was flying. That was great to see but all six of them contributed so much, Adam produced such vital passing manoeuvres at crucial times getting that extra point and the points Dan and Jordan scored in 4-2s were vital at the time. The whole team contributed when it really mattered, and it was great to see.
“Regarding heat 15, Emil is busy and does it often when we need him and that is the same with Jason, if we can rest them and protect them, that is just looking after your riders a little bit. He had done five heats and that is fine. Keynan had two amazing wins and did six heats so why keep putting him out, Dan is carrying an injury although it didn’t affect him too much at all, it is just about looking after the riders. We need to keep Jordan on track, and he was all over the back of them in heat 15 off gate four which was terrible. It was great to see him ride like that and is hopefully a confidence boost for him. I felt Danny was still capable of winning the race and he showed that to end on a good note, everyone is ending on good races and is happy, so it is just about working as a team.
“We shuffled the riding order with R/R at one and it was similar to when we changed it at Leicester earlier this year and it worked really well. It fits R/R better and it all went as I expected and planned.
“We can’t relax next Thursday and need to make sure we take all three points. That is our biggest danger, King’s Lynn will come with nothing to lose, and they will give everything. I’m sure they are fed up of getting beaten by us every time we meet and will want to change that.”
RIDER OF THE NIGHT
Hard to separate Sayfutdinov and Rew who both notched 13+1 and produced race wins at vital times.
WHAT IT MEANS
Ipswich pick up two points and stay top of the table whilst King’s Lynn stay second bottom with their outside hopes for the play-offs taking a blow.
UP NEXT
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches host the King’s Lynn Stars at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday 1st August in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.
Digital Media Manager at Ipswich Speedway