WITCHES BACK ON TOP

IPSWICH returned to the top of the Premiership with a 50-40 home win over previous leaders Belle Vue.

The Witches secured victory with a 5-1 from Jason Doyle and Troy Batchelor in Heat 13, and after an Aces maximum in the next race Batchelor prevented them from taking a league point by winning Heat 15.

Batchelor (13+3) and Jason Doyle (11) were top scorers for the home side whilst for the Aces, who were without Charles Wright and Jye Etheridge, Max Fricke piled up 16+1 and Brady Kurtz added 10+1.

Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “I think we were solid throughout and started really strongly despite them being able to use Fricke for a R/R ride and a tactical substitute.

“We dealt with that really well and we held ourselves together throughout the meeting better than when we have done when we have started strongly earlier in the year.

“I was happy with that and was really pleased with how Troy rode tonight. After his first couple of rides, he was superb at the end of the night and that was great to watch him ride like that.”

Belle Vue’s Tom Brennan (5+1) said: “Max was on fire and it was great for me and Norick (Blodorn) to team up in Heat 14 and put the us in a great position going into the last race.

“But even with both Max and Brady (Kurtz), it was going to be a tough ask against Batchelor. We’ve just got to take this one on the chin, regroup and come back stronger.”

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Photo credit: JEFF HIGGOTT