SCORECARD
SHEFFIELD 46: Jack Holder 9+1, Anders Rowe 7+3, Josh Pickering © 14, Justin Sedgmen 1+1, Chris Holder 6+1, Lewis Kerr 3, Leon Flint (RS) 6. Team Manager: Simon Stead
IPSWICH 44: Jason Doyle 10+1, Adam Ellis 7+1, Emil Sayfutdinov 8+1, Danny King © 6+1, Tom Brennan 5, Dan Thompson 7+1, Jordan Jenkins (RS) 1+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: C. Gay
ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Ipswich | 7 | 14 |
| Belle Vue | 7 | 12 |
| Sheffield | 6 | 11 |
| Leicester | 6 | 9 |
| Oxford | 9 | 5 |
| King’s Lynn | 7 | 4 |
| Birmingham | 6 | 0 |
THE REPORT
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches suffered a 46-44 defeat at Sheffield on Thursday night in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
Ipswich went into the fixture with a 100% record in the league whilst the Tigers were looking to preserve their unbeaten home record and there was never more than four points between the two sides throughout the contest. Ipswich held a two-point lead heading into the final race of the night after a heat 14 maximum, but the home team responded in the final heat with a 5-1 to snatch victory. Jason Doyle top scored with 10+1.
Heat one was stopped with Adam Ellis hitting the deck and all four riders called back. Anders Rowe won the re-run but with Jack Holder at the back it was a shared heat to start the night. Lewis Kerr took victory in heat two as Dan Thompson rode well to get the better of Leon Flint for second in a Sheffield 4-2. Heat three resulted in a 3-3 and in heat four the away side got their first race win of the meeting as Thompson took the chequered flag and Tom Brennan relegated Chris Holder to the back for a heat advantage that levelled the score at 12-12.
Josh Pickering couldn’t be caught in heat five, but Ellis managed to get past Justin Sedgmen late on for a crucial point to ensure it ended in a 3-3. The hosts went in front in heat six as the pair of Jack Holder and Rowe worked their way from the back to pass both Witches riders for the 5-1. Chris Holder picked up three points in a shared heat seven and Ellis was a comfortable winner in a heat eight 3-3 which left Sheffield 26-22 ahead.
The away side were looking good to level the score in heat nine with Brennan and Thompson at the front, but Thompson fell on the final turn meaning they were forced to settle for a 3-3. Emil Sayfutdinov got his first win of the evening in a shared heat 10 and Doyle then got his first three points by winning heat 11 as Ellis worked overtime again to pass Kerr for a point to give Ipswich a 2-4. A 3-3 in heat 12 left things finely poised at 37-35 to the Tigers.
Doyle couldn’t be passed in heat 13 but with Brennan at the back it was another 3-3. The Witches went ahead for the first time in the meeting with a maximum in heat 14 courtesy of Danny King and Thompson, but Sheffield responded in heat 15 with a 5-1 of their own to secure victory by the narrowest of margins.
RITCHIE HAWKINS REACTION
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins reflects on Thursday’s defeat at Sheffield…
“I thought it was a brilliant performance; it is the happiest I have come away from an away meeting since Belle Vue. I thought the boys were the better team and felt we were, not unfortunate because they were our own mistakes, but we made a couple of mistakes that cost us the win.
“We changed the riding order to experiment, and I don’t think that helped and we may well have won without that but I’m happy with where the boys are at, it is all positive and I am happy with a lot of the performances and that there is a lot more still to come.
“Its about trying different things and preparing for the rest of the year and making sure we are in the best possible position come the end of the season. I don’t think the riding order worked as well as our previous order, but it is good to keep practicing whilst we are in this position and the boys want to stick with it on Monday and I’m happy for them to do that.
“Jordan picked up a slight knock a couple of weeks ago and it has knocked him out of his rhythm, and he struggled in his first couple, but it was a really good ride in his last ride and I’m very happy with how his season has gone overall so far.”
RIDER OF THE NIGHT
Fans online voted for Doyle as the rider of the night after he top scored with 10+1.
WHAT IT MEANS
Ipswich remain top after being defeated for the first time this season whilst third-placed Sheffield pick up two points and move three behind the leaders.
NEXT FIXTURE
The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches travel to Birmingham to take on the Brummies on Monday 19th May in a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership fixture. Tickets can be purchased on the gate and in advance here.
Press Officer at Ipswich Speedway