HAWKINS: NO DWELLING ON DEFEAT

IPSWICH manager Ritchie Hawkins is calling on his side to quickly put Thursday’s home defeat behind them with the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-offs starting next week.

The Witches slipped to a 47-43 loss against Sheffield at Foxhall, which was hardly ideal preparation for a semi-final trip to Belle Vue on Monday.

It’s a repeat of the 2023 last-four clash which saw Ipswich go through after an 18-point victory in the home leg which they successfully defended in a dramatic return in Manchester.

Hawkins said: “It is pointless dwelling on it now. We have got a massive meeting on Monday at a place we have gone well at this season, and we are going to need to perform again.

“Belle Vue have been the champions twice out of the last three years, and we are the only team to beat them in the play-offs in that time.

“They know how to win these meetings, so every one of us needs to be at 100 per cent to win the meeting and be committed to win every race. We have spent all season racing for this time and we need to be ready for it.”