Ipswich Witches v Belle Vue Aces

BRADY Kurtz was the Belle Vue hero with a Heat 15 win over the Ipswich top two to seal a 46-44 away win for the defending Sports Insure Premiership champions.

The Aces skipper got the better of the previously unbeaten Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfudtinov in the last race as the visitors won at Foxhall for the second time this season.

Reserve Tom Brennan also played a vital role with 11+2 from five rides, whilst Doyle (14) and Sayfutdinov (12+2) again dominated the scoring for the Witches as their play-off hopes took another big hit.

The home side had gone into a six-point lead following a delay caused by rain showers, but Brennan was involved in three Belle Vue 5-1s in the second half of the meeting.

Aces boss Mark Lemon said: “To win on the road as much as we have done this season is a real credit to the boys, and tonight’s performance was exceptional.

“What I like about this team is how when one has a poor night the rest step up to compensate, as they did for Dan [Bewley] who had a poor night by his standards.

“Seeing Tom Brennan go out there and do what he did was simply brilliant to watch. He’s really come of age recently and has great composure on the bike.”

Ipswich promoter Chris Louis said: “It is obvious we have got holes in the team which we have been aware of for weeks, but it is very difficult to find solutions right now out there, there is a lack of options.

“Emil and Jason have done everything for the team all year, they are completely faultless and have been all year. It is a shame because they have kind of been a bit let down by the team we have got, but we have got to continue to bang in the points.

“We understand now that we need someone to slip up really badly which is unlikely to happen, but we can’t throw the towel in, and we need to keep looking for results.”