THE SCORES…
PETERBOROUGH 38: Rohan Tungate 16, Ty Proctor 8+1, Charles Wright 5, Aaron Summers 4, Scott Nicholls 3, Hans Andersen © 2 (Withdrawn), Paul Starke (g) 0. Team Manager: Carl Johnson
IPSWICH 51: Chris Harris 11+1, Cameron Heeps 10+1, Krystian Pieszczek 8+2, Richard Lawson 7+1, Jake Allen 6+1, Danny King © 5+1, Danny Ayres (g) 4. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: C. Durno
VENUE: East of England Arena & Events Centre
PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Ipswich | 10 | 26 |
| Poole | 11 | 24 |
| Belle Vue | 14 | 24 |
| Peterborough | 12 | 17 |
| King’s Lynn | 11 | 13 |
| Swindon | 9 | 11 |
| Wolverhampton | 9 | 10 |
WHAT HAPPENED?
The ‘Tru Plant’ Witches recorded a 51-38 win at Peterborough on Monday night in the Premiership to go top of the table.
The away side started strongly and led by six after three races. The Panthers never looked like clawing back that deficit and their hopes were all but ended when they lost Hans Andersen following a heavy crash in heat 10. There was a lengthy delay to the meeting as the Peterborough captain was taken to hospital and once the action resumed Ipswich added to their lead to see out the victory comfortably and take four league points. Chris Harris top scored with 11+1.
The Witches started in fine fashion with a 5-1 from Richard Lawson and Harris in heat one, with Harris passing Ty Proctor to take second and join his partner at the front. Aaron Summers won heat two for the Panthers, but guest Danny Ayres and Jake Allen ensured it was a shared heat. Cameron Heeps rode a fantastic first lap to win heat three ahead of Charles Wright as skipper Danny King picked up third for a 4-2 that gave the away side a 12-6 lead early on.
Rohan Tungate won heat four for the home side but Allen and Krystian Pieszczek were both in the points for a 3-3. Scott Nicholls won heat five but once again the Witches pair of Harris and Lawson took second and third for a shared heat. The run of 3-3’s continued in heat six as Pieszczek won ahead of Andersen and Proctor, leaving the visitors 21-15 ahead.
Panthers guest Paul Starke replaced Summers in heat seven, but it was called back with King receiving a warning for jumping the start. Tungate won the re-run but the two sides could not be separated again with Heeps and King filling the minor placings for a shared heat. Summers came in for Starke in a reserve switch in heat eight as Proctor won but Lawson managed to split the home pair meaning a 4-2 to the hosts. Heat nine was stopped with Pieszczek warned this time for moving at the start. That did not bother the Polish rider though as he won the re-run and it looked like it could have been a 5-1 to the Witches but Wright managed to get past Ayres for second, meaning a 4-2 to the Witches that put them 30-24 up.
Heat 10 was stopped as Ipswich skipper King fell after a battle with Andersen and the Witches man was excluded from the re-run. The re-run was also stopped as Andersen collided with Heeps and both riders fell in a nasty crash. Both riders were treated by medical staff on the track with the Witches man able to walk back to the pits, but the ambulance was called for the Panthers captain, who was knocked unconscious from the crash. The Danish rider regained consciousness before being taken to hospital. There was a lengthy delay to proceedings before the paramedic returned to the stadium and racing could resume. There were just two riders in it following the exclusions of King and Andersen and Heeps got the better of Proctor for a 3-2 to the Witches. Harris won heat 12 as Tungate worked hard to prevent a 5-1 to the Witches but with Lawson third it was another heat advantage to the away side that edged them closer to victory. Tungate was back out in heat 12 as a tactical substitution but Ipswich captain King held him off for the win and Ayres took third for another 4-2 to the away side that put them on the brink of victory, leading 41-30 with three to race.
Starke replaced the injured Andersen in heat 13 but it was Tungate who took the win ahead of Harris and Pieszczek and that shared heat confirmed victory for the Witches. The away side added some gloss to the score line in heat 14 with a 5-1 from Allen and Heeps. Heat 15 was stopped with Proctor warned for moving at the start. In the re-run Tungate won ahead of Harris to end his impressive evening with Proctor third for a Panthers heat advantage. That meant the Witches took a 51-38 victory, their second four-point haul at Peterborough this season.
RIDER OF THE NIGHT…
It was a real team effort from the Witches but Heeps impressed in his first meeting in the main body of the team. The Australian continued his fine form from reserve and dropped just one point to an opponent in his four programmed rides despite a fall in heat 10, ending the night with 10+1.
KEY MOMENT…
The Witches led by six going into heat 10 and looked on course for victory but what unfolded in the heat would prove costly to the home side. In the first running, King was excluded after falling following a tough battle with Andersen. However, in the second attempt of the heat, Andersen tangled with Heeps with the pair both falling in a nasty incident. Andersen was excluded from the race and was taken to hospital, meaning a lengthy delay to the meeting. Heeps dusted himself down to win the re-run and put the Witches in a healthy position to see the meeting out.
WHAT IT MEANS…
Ipswich take four league points that puts them top of the Premiership table. No points for Peterborough as they stay mid-table.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The ‘Tru Plant’ Witches travel to the Abbey Stadium to take on the Swindon Robins on Thursday 4th July in a Premiership fixture at 7.30pm.
AROUND THE TRACKS…
Poole won 46-44 away at Belle Vue whilst King’s Lynn beat Swindon 49-40 at the Adrian Flux Arena.