THE SCORES…
WOLVES 50: Sam Masters 13+3, Scott Nicholls 12+1, Rory Schlein © 9+2, Kyle Howarth 8+2, Luke Becker 5, Ashley Morris 3. Team Manager: Peter Adams
IPSWICH 40: Danny King © 10+2, Jake Allen 10, Cameron Heeps 9, Krystian Pieszczek 5+1, Chris Harris 3+1, Richard Lawson 3, David Bellego 0. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
REFEREE: A. Steele
VENUE: Monmore Green
PREMIERSHIP TABLE
| Team | Meetings | Points |
| Wolverhampton | 2 | 6 |
| Peterborough | 3 | 4 |
| Ipswich | 2 | 3 |
| Belle Vue | 2 | 3 |
| King’s Lynn | 1 | 2 |
| Poole | 1 | 1 |
| Swindon | 1 | 1 |
WHAT HAPPENED?
The ‘Tru Plant’ Witches were defeated 50-40 by the Wolverhampton Wolves on Monday night at Monmore Green in the Premiership.
The Witches started brightly and led by six after four heats, but the hosts dominated the middle part of the meeting with three consecutive 5-1’s in heats eight to 10 establishing a ten-point lead. The away side kept on battling as they kept in the hunt for a consolation point but were unable to land one more blow meaning they came away empty handed. Danny King top scored for the Witches with 10+2.
Richard Lawson won heat one for the Witches ahead of Kyle Howarth and Sam Masters with Chris Harris at the back as the heat was shared. The visitors edged ahead in heat two as Cameron Heeps went past Ashley Morris on the third lap to win and Jake Allen picked up a point for a Witches 4-2. King won heat three but with David Bellego not amongst the points it was a 3-3 that left Ipswich 10-8 up.
The strong start to the meeting continued for the away side as Allen won heat four and Krystian Pieszczek took advantage of a Luke Becker mistake to take second for a 5-1 to Ipswich. The Wolves wasted no time in responding as Peter Adams put Sam Masters in heat five as a tactical substitute. The move worked out as Scott Nicholls won after passing Harris and Masters worked hard to get past Lawson for third and then took second place from Harris on the line for a Wolves 5-1 that reduced the deficit. Heat six was stopped as Howarth and Pieszczek fell on turn three of the opening lap and it was the Wolves man who was excluded from the re-run. The Witches took advantage in the re-run as Heeps overcame Masters to win and with Pieszczek in third it gave the visitors a 4-2 to put them 20-16 ahead.
Rory Schlein won heat seven ahead of King with Morris third as Bellego was unable to make an impact at the back meaning a 4-2 to the hosts. Allen was the early leader in heat eight but went wide on the second lap and was passed by both Becker and Howarth as the home side recorded a 5-1 that put them ahead for the first time in the meeting. Heat nine was stopped as Heeps and Nicholls both crashed going into the first turn of the second lap and the Ipswich reserve was adjudged to be the cause of the incident and was excluded from the re-run. Nicholls and Schlein coasted to a 5-1 on the re-run to put the home side 30-24 up.
Heeps replaced Bellego in heat 10 but it was stopped as King fell on the first turn and was excluded from the re-run. The run of 5-1’s sadly continued as Howarth and Masters raced to a maximum in the re-run to extend their lead further. Ritchie Hawkins responded by putting King in heat 11 as a tactical substitute for Lawson. The decision worked for the Witches as King went and won the heat as Harris held off Schlein for a 5-1 to the visitors that put them back in contention. Nicholls won heat 12 as Heeps finished second with King in third for a 3-3 to leave the home team 39-33 ahead with three to race.
Masters won heat 13 and Schlein passed Pieszczek on the line for a Wolves 5-1 that confirmed their victory. Allen won heat 14 as the points were shared, meaning the Witches needed a 5-1 in heat 15 to claim a consolation point. However, Masters won the final race of the night ahead of Allen and King to ensure the Witches took nothing from the meeting, making the final score 50-40 to Wolves.
STAR MAN…
It was great to see captain King back on song but once again it was Allen who impressed from reserve. Allen scored 10 from five rides with two race wins away from home and the reserves continue to be leading men for the Witches so far this season.
KEY MOMENT…
Wolves led by just two points going into heat nine and the Witches started the race well with Pieszczek and Heeps quickest from the tapes but Heeps clashed with Nicholls going into the first turn of the second lap and fell and was then excluded from the re-run by the referee. In the re-run Wolves took advantage and hit a 5-1 that extended their lead.
WHAT IT MEANS…
Wolves take three Premiership points that puts them top of the early table with two wins from two. Ipswich don’t add to their tally after this defeat and sit in third place with three points after a win and a loss so far this season.
WHAT’S NEXT?
The ‘Tru Plant’ Witches host the King’s Lynn Stars at Foxhall on Monday 6th May in a Premiership fixture at 2.15pm.
AROUND THE TRACKS…
Belle Vue beat Peterborough 51-39 in the Premiership to get their first win of the league campaign at the National Speedway Stadium.
King’s Lynn beat Swindon 47-43 in the Premiership Supporters Cup but with the Robins picking up a point they look set to progress to the final barring a disastrous final meeting in the group stages against the Stars.