WITCHES COMPLETE CUP DOUBLE

IPSWICH took control of the southern section of the Premiership KO Cup with a 47-43 win at King’s Lynn to complete the double over the Stars.

The Witches led throughout at the Adrian Flux Arena although they saw an eight-point lead cut to four ahead of a last-heat decider, where they had to face Max Fricke and the unbeaten Ben Cook.

But whilst Fricke took the win for the home side, Tom Brennan and skipper Danny King packed in to inflict Cook’s first defeat of the night and secure the Ipswich victory.

Cook scored 14+1 from six rides and Fricke posted 12 for the Stars, whilst Brennan impressed with 12+1 at No.1 for the Witches and King collected 9+2.

Brennan said: “It was good. I think I was finally back to where I believe I can be. Last Thursday was a bit of a disappointment, and I have been working very hard behind the scenes.

“I managed to have a pretty successful night. The whole team rode really well. King’s Lynn are strong at home, so it was definitely good.”

King’s Lynn boss Rob Lyon said: “I think it was evident again tonight, as it was at Ipswich early doors, that they were generally so much sharper out of the starts than us, and that was the main difference.

“It was a great performance by Ben and it’s ironic that he didn’t make it in Heat 15 off gate two, because he didn’t really want four although he’d made two great starts off it.

“I knew if anyone could make it off four, which was a bit of a graveyard, Max could, and I thought Ben would make it off two and with the way he was riding a 5-1 would be on the cards.”

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Photo credit: DEREK LEADER