WITCHES INTO ANOTHER FINAL

HOLDERS Ipswich are through to the Premiership KO Cup Final after a 51-39 home win over Birmingham.

The Witches eased to a 14-point victory on aggregate to set up a deciding clash with either King’s Lynn or Sheffield, with their guest bookings once again paying dividends and Keynan Rew racking up the points at reserve.

Rew raced to 14+1 from seven rides and Chris Harris stood in for Jason Doyle to good effect with 11+1, whilst Fredrik Lindgren made a positive debut for the Brummies with 12 and Tom Brennan added 10.

Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “I thought it was a great all round team performance again. I felt it was a really tough meeting, Birmingham came and really took it to us and fair play to them for that, they certainly fought hard and look like they have the makings of a good team there.

“I was really pleased with how our boys fought, as a unit we covered each other and covered the ones missing and covered ones carrying knocks.

“Keynan has scored a bag full of points this week and that has made a massive difference in us getting to that Final. We needed him to step up and he has certainly rose to the occasion and done it. It is great to see, and it is nice to see him fulfilling all his potential.”

Brummies promoter Nigel Tolley said: “I just don’t think we were all hitting form at once.

“Take Piotr (Pawlicki) for example, it’s the first time he’s ridden on this track but towards the end he was starting to get to grips with it and he’ll be better for that when we come here in the league again.

“It’s a difficult track, it’s very different to Perry Barr and it’s certainly different to anything he’s used to in Poland.

“Remember though, this is our first year back in the Premiership and we are a fledgling team.

“We didn’t quite get our act together in this one but if all seven riders hit form at the same time, we can go places.”

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Photo credit: JEFF HIGGOTT