The ‘Tru7.com’ Witches got back to winning ways with an impressive 52-41 over Glasgow on Thursday at Foxhall, as they returned to the Championship summit.
It looked like being a long night for the Witches after Kyle Newman was ruled out of the meeting following a fall in heat one but the home side rallied and were the better side throughout the contest as the visitors could only muster one heat advantage on the night through a tactical ride. Danny King was imperious for the home side with a 14+1 paid maximum.
The first staging of heat one didn’t got to plan as there was a nasty tangle going into the first turn as Newman and Richard Lawson both suffered heavy falls with King also falling. All four were called back but there was a delay as paramedics saw to Newman who was suffering with an ankle injury. The Witches man withdrew from the meeting immediately as Nathan Greaves replaced him in the re-run. King won the re-run with ease as Greaves did superbly to hold off Lawson for third before then setting his sights on second placed Nike Lunna but just ran out of laps to pass the Tigers man. Tom Bacon made the gate in heat two but Greaves was in the mood and stalked the Tigers guest before swooping round on the second bend of the second lap to take the win with Connor Mountain in third for another 4-2. Richie Worrall was looking quick as he took the win in heat three with Cameron Heeps not far behind him and Justin Sedgmen picking up third for a 3-3. Rory Schlein was quickest from the traps in heat four and with Mountain in second Schlein tried to team ride the youngster home but Aaron Summers passed Mountain to take second on the fourth turn of the second lap, meaning another 4-2 to give the Witches a 15-9 lead.
The home side threatened to hit a 5-1 again in heat five as Heeps and Sedgmen led early on but Lawson powered past Sedgmen to take second, limiting the heat advantage to another 4-2. King won heat six and was looking untouchable as Greaves picked up third for yet another 4-2 to the home side. That 4-2 meant the visitors could use the black and white helmet and Worrall went out and won heat seven holding off Schlein in second as Dan Bewley rounded Mountain on the fourth turn of the first lap to give the Tigers a 7-2 and put them right back in the meeting. Lunna won heat eight as Greaves passed his partner Mountain late in the race to take second, meaning a shared heat left the Witches 28-23 up.
Heeps produced a fine ride in heat nine as he dive-bombed past Summers to take the lead going into the third turn of the opening lap as Sedgmen picked up a point for a heat advantage. King produced a fine first turn in heat 10 to take the win in a shared heat. Schlein then produced a fantastic first turn of his own as he switched back to the inside coming out of the second turn to pass both Tigers in another 3-3. Worrall won heat 12 as Heeps missed the start but fought from the back to get himself into second and then challenge the leader as the points were shared again with the Witches 41-34 up and on the brink of victory.
Finally, the home side got the 5-1 their performance deserved as Schlein and King flew from the gate to record a comfortable maximum heat advantage that sealed the win on the night. Bewley won heat 14 in a 3-3 meaning the visitors could not take any points away from the meeting. King and Heeps looked like finishing the night in style with another 5-1 but Heeps’ cut out came out on the final lap meaning the home side had to settle for a 3-3 that left the final score 52-41 to the Witches.
Words: Henry Chard
Ipswich ‘Tru7.com’ Witches 52
Danny King (c) 14+1 (Paid Maximum)
Kyle Newman 0 (Withdrawn)
Cameron Heeps 10
Justin Sedgmen 5+1
Rory Schlein 11
Nathan Greaves 8+1
Connor Mountain 4+2
Glasgow ‘Allied Vehicles’ Tigers 41
Richard Lawson 4
Nike Lunna 6+1
Richie Worrall 16
Dan Bewley 5+1
Aaron Summers (c) 8+1
Tom Bacon (g) 2
Jack Smith 0
Championship Table
| Team | Pl | Pts |
| Witches | 26 | 53 |
| Glasgow | 22 | 52 |
| Edinburgh | 23 | 51 |
| Sheffield | 22 | 50 |
| Redcar | 25 | 45 |
| Peterborough | 22 | 36 |
| Workington | 16 | 28 |
| Newcastle | 22 | 28 |
| Scunthorpe | 24 | 20 |
| Berwick | 28 | 11 |
DJ Evans Ltd Rider of the Night: Danny King
Next Meeting: 6th August Championship Fours @ Peterborough