WITCHES WIN BUT DOYLE HURT

IPSWICH went back to the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with an incredible comeback to win at King’s Lynn via a Super Heat.

But the result came at a big potential cost for the Witches, who saw Jason Doyle withdrawn from the meeting after an horrific Heat 4 crash from which he walked away but was taken to hospital with concerns over an arm injury.

The Stars looked set for a win when they led 31-17 Heat 8 but the Witches clawed things back with Emil Sayfutdinov racing to a 17+1 paid maximum, whilst guest Tom Brennan (13) and Adam Ellis (9+1) made vital contributions.

And after Sayfutdinov and Brennan levelled the scores at 45-45 with a 4-2 in Heat 15, Ellis and Sayfutdinov then secured a match-clinching 6-3 in the Super Heat, split by the Stars’ top scorer Nicolai Klindt who picked up 14+1 in the regular meeting.

Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “I am delighted to beat King’s Lynn but for me I should have been absolutely buzzing coming away from that meeting, but our thoughts were with Jason really.

“We eagerly await news on him, and I am very proud of the boys managing to turn it around and get that win for him.

“Everything else is irrelevant but we are showing great character and what a great side to be involved in.”

Klindt said: “It’s very disappointing. I wouldn’t say we had it in the bag because as everyone knows Ipswich are so strong from one to seven, even without Jason Doyle and we wish him all the very best.

“They are a very strong outfit and they had a very good guest in Tom Brennan coming in, who did very well for Birmingham in our last home meeting.

“We knew we had everything on the line in the last few heats, and I think where we lost it was when (Benjamin) Basso crashed. That was a very important point.”

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Photo credit: DEREK LEADER