SCORECARD
OXFORD 42: Rohan Tungate 1+1, Erik Riss 20, Charles Wright 9+2, Peter Kildemand R/R, Maciej Janowski © 8, Francis Gusts 2, Luke Killeen (RS) 2+1. Team Manager: Peter Schroeck
IPSWICH 48: Jason Doyle 11+1 (Paid Maximum), Danny King © 2, Adam Ellis 4+1, Tom Brennan 8+1, Emil Sayfutdinov 9+2, Dan Thompson 10, Jordan Jenkins (RS) 4+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: G. Allen
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Sheffield | 1 | 2 |
| Ipswich | 1 | 2 |
| Belle Vue | 1 | 2 |
| Leicester | 0 | 0 |
| King’s Lynn | 1 | 0 |
| Oxford | 1 | 0 |
| Birmingham | 1 | 0 |
THE REPORT
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches recorded an away win in their opening fixture of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership on Thursday night at Oxford.
The visitors came into the fixture at full strength and having raced to home and away victories against Belle Vue last week to progress to the semi-finals of the Knockout Cup. Oxford meanwhile exited the cup at the quarter-final stage and were without Peter Kildemand against Ipswich due to the concussion protocol with rider replacement in operation at number four. The visitors edged ahead early on in the contest, but the score was level after eight races. However, in the second half of the meeting, Ipswich showed their strength to seal a six-point win to start the season. Jason Doyle top scored with an 11+1 paid maximum.
It looked like being the perfect start to the night in heat one as Doyle and Danny King hit the front, but the skipper fell under pressure from Erik Riss and was excluded with a 3-3 awarded. Dan Thompson won heat two and with Jordan Jenkins third it put the away side in front. That lead was short lived though as the Spires raced to a maximum in heat three to put themselves ahead. The Suffolk side re-took the lead in heat four as Emil Sayfutdinov took the chequered flag and Jenkins held off Maciej Janowski for the maximum, making it 11-13 to Ipswich.
Doyle was a winner in heat five and although King fell, he managed to remount and collect a point for a heat advantage with Francis Gusts having retired earlier in the race. Heat six was full of passing at the front and back. Thompson led Riss but the German later hit the front whilst at the back Sayfutdinov worked hard to relegate Rohan Tungate to the back in a shared heat. There was another 3-3 in heat seven before Oxford levelled the scores in heat eight. Jenkins was excluded from the original staging of the race as he looked to avoid an out of shape Luke Killeen in front of him and in the re-run Riss was joined by Killeen for the maximum making it 24-24.
Thompson and Sayfutdinov powered to a maximum in heat nine to put the Suffolk side back in front and the points were shared in heat 10. Heat 11 was stopped after a big crash saw Doyle, Thompson and Killeen hit the fence. Thompson led the race as Killeen tried to pass Doyle down the home straight, but it all went wrong as both riders went down hard, causing Thompson to fall in the process and Killeen was excluded for his part in the incident. Doyle dusted himself down and managed to win the re-run, on Jenkins’ bike, as the away team got a heat advantage. The inspired Riss was out as a tactical substitute in heat 12 and he and Charles Wright raced to a 5-1 to get their side back into the meeting at 35-37.
Doyle and Sayfutdinov did what they do best in heat 13, hitting a maximum and the win was secured in heat 14 as Tom Brennan got his first win of the night in a Witches 2-4. Heat 15 was stopped as Sayfutdinov was the latest Witch to crash as he tried to pass Riss at the front. In the re-run Riss capped an excellent night’s work with another win in an Oxford 4-2 but it was Ipswich who celebrated the start of the league campaign with victory on the road.
RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s win at Oxford…
“A really hard-fought, tough meeting, it was a slog on the track for the boys individually dealing with track conditions. It was a slog for us on the score front, but we kept working hard and got through it in the end and managed to take two points.
“I think the track was slicker than normal due to them practicing during the day. There were a few ruts that appeared going into the first bend and it was dusty. It was a tricky night and there was an emphasis on gating when it is like that. I feel on the whole we have been very good with our starting so far this season. We have got the result, and it shows what a solid side we are, we had very few last places again. There were a lot of crashes, and I am delighted that everyone has walked away from them. There were a few bent bikes and a few issues but overall, it is a very positive start.
“It was a really big crash for Doyley, and he is wearing an air jacket this year and that made a massive difference. I’m sure he will be sore tomorrow, but it doesn’t look anything significant, the same with Emil who had a big crash in the same place. Dan took a big knock in the crash with Doyley, and it was completely out of his hands, and he suffered a bent bike. Nothing too serious for any of them but a lot of sore bodies for them.
“Doyley got a max and sometimes that can be overlooked as we kind of expect it from him. On the scoresheet the difference was at reserve. Jordan’s second ride when we got a 5-1 made a big difference in the meeting. It is nice when you have a reserve pairing that can beat opposition number ones as well as your top five. It is a rare position to be in, I can remember during the first year back in the Premiership we had two very strong reserves, and it does make a big difference and that told tonight.
“Lasty, it was nice to see Erik, who was with us for a couple of seasons, riding as good as we know he can. It was a great performance from him for Oxford.”
RIDER OF THE NIGHT
Fans online voted Doyle as the rider of the night after he was unbeaten by an opponent from four rides, scoring 11+1.
WHAT IT MEANS
Ipswich pick up their first two points of the season whilst Oxford will have to wait for their first points of the year.
NEXT FIXTURE
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Birmingham to take on the Brummies on Monday 7th April in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership fixture. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.
Press Officer at Ipswich Speedway