Ipswich Witches v King’s Lynn Stars

Report

IPSWICH remain top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership and with a 100 per cent record despite an early scare from local rivals King’s Lynn.

The Stars stunned a big Bank Holiday crowd at Foxhall by racing into a 24-18 lead after seven races to leave the Witches facing a deficit on their home track for the first time this season.

However, they turned the screw in the closing stages with a run of advantages, including three 5-1s in the last four heats to run out 53-37 winners.

Top two Jason Doyle (12+2) and Emil Sayfutdinov (12+1) were involved in maximums in Heats 13 and 15, whilst King’s Lynn captain Nicolai Klindt (11) reached double figures at reserve.

Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “It was a really tough meeting for us, tougher than the scoreline suggests. We started slowly, not helped by losing the coin toss. It was one meeting where the coin toss was significant, but we weren’t good enough to start with.

“After the Heat 7 break we really turned it around and stepped up a gear or two, and I was really happy with how convincing and good the boys looked in the second half of the meeting.

“It was great to see so many people here, we appreciate it, and it is what this team deserves for a Bank Holiday occasion. It’s a local derby and you should be getting good crowds, we needed everyone’s support today and the atmosphere was great once we kicked on.”

King’s Lynn manager Rob Lyon said: “It’s a little disappointing to be six up and lose by 16, but I think the score flatters Ipswich a little bit to be quite honest.

“Fair play that they’ve got it over the line, but I think our boys are a little shell-shocked that we were well in it after Heat 9 and then we dropped off a cliff, which is a bit of a puzzle.”

IPSWICH 53: Jason Doyle 12+2, Emil Sayfutdinov 12+1, Dan Thompson 9, Danny King 7, Tom Brennan 6, Adam Ellis 5+1, Jordan Jenkins 2+1.
KING’S LYNN 37: Nicolai Klindt 11, Richard Lawson 9, Jan Kvech 8+1, Niels-Kristian Iversen 6+1, Chris Harris 3, Ashton Boughen 0, Ben Cook r/r.

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Photo credit: JEFF HIGGOTT