ACES ARE SIX UP

REIGNING champions Belle Vue will take a six-point lead to Ipswich on Thursday for the second leg of their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off semi-final.

The Aces provided 11 of the 15 race wins in Monday’s opener at the National Speedway Stadium, but they were held to a 48-42 result after a determined showing from the league leaders.

Ipswich led early on after a 5-1 in Heat 2, and even when Belle Vue went six up at the halfway stage, the visitors cut the gap back to two points with a crucial series of wins from Tom Brennan and Jason Doyle.

The Aces’ top duo of Brady Kurtz and Dan Bewley took 4-2s in Heats 13 and 15 but were denied full rewards as Emil Sayfutdinov finished ahead of Bewley in the first of those, with Doyle defeating Kurtz in the finale.

Bewley scored 13 points with Kurtz on 12 and Zach Cook won three of his four rides to finish on 11, whilst Doyle raced to 11+2 for the Witches with all of his team-mates chipping in.

Belle Vue manager Mark Lemon said: “We didn’t get the lead we wanted, but we can still go there and reach the Grand Final. 

“We’ve been here before and it’s not unfamiliar to us. We are under no illusions, we need a big performance on Thursday. 

“The boys are capable of it and I’m backing them, and I’m sure the fans are too.”

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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES