WITCHES’ RUN GOES ON

IPSWICH recorded another huge home score with a 65-25 beating of Oxford at Foxhall to continue their 100 per cent start to the season.

The Witches had racked up 67 points in their opening Foxhall outing against Belle Vue, and they went close to that total in their first ROWE Motor Oil Premiership encounter on their own track.

Skipper Danny King scored a 14+1 paid maximum from five rides, with Jason Doyle (9+3) also unbeaten from four outings – whilst the remaining members of the Witches’ top five were all in double figures.

The hosts recorded nine 5-1s, including three on the trot in the first three races of the meeting, and they limited the Spires to just two heat wins.

One of those came in Heat 4 where Latvian youngster Francis Gusts held off Emil Sayfutdinov for the visitors’ big highlight of the night, whilst Charles Wright was their other winner and ended with nine.

Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “Everyone was getting 5-1s and winning races whilst having fun and working together as a team. It was another superb night for the boys and a brilliant result, I hope everyone has gone home happy with another win.

“It is great to start so strongly at home and it is a massive boost going into the season. Tougher tests will come, and teams will improve and I’m sure when Oxford come again, they will be a lot better than they were tonight, and the same goes for Belle Vue.

“At the moment, we haven’t been tested at home, but we will be, and it will get a lot harder as the year progresses and riders get into form.

“We can’t be getting carried away, but the early signs are good, and confidence should be up.”

Oxford manager Peter Schroeck said: “The boys were working their socks off in the pits, but it just wasn’t happening, while Rohan blew an engine up. Ipswich are a very good side, especially around their home track, but at the same time, it was a poor night from us.

“There were a couple of highlights. Young Francis did a good job, including lowering the colours of Emil Sayfutdinov, which takes some doing around here. Charles also had a good night.”

Watch the Heat 12 action (Courtesy of RE-RUN PRODUCTIONS)

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Photo credit: JEFF HIGGOTT