WITCHES SEEK FIRST LEG LEAD

IPSWICH manager Ritchie Hawkins wants to keep the momentum going when they host Belle Vue in the first leg of their Sports Insure Premiership play-off semi-final tonight (Thursday).

The Witches enjoyed KO Cup success last week and now take on the defending champions in a repeat of the last-four tie from 2022.

But the home side go into the contest without heat-leader Jason Doyle after his Danish GP crash, with Chris Harris coming in to guest. Meanwhile Jack Smith stands in for the injured Dan Thompson in the Rising Star berth.

Hawkins said: “We need another performance like we have had recently, but we are racing against the reigning champions and a side that have got the better of us this year, and everyone else.

“It is a massive ask but if we can all pull together and perform like I know we can then we can get a lead to take to Manchester next week.

“We are in a great run of form, and we will have another great crowd like we did last week and that makes a big difference. 

“Everybody is fully focused on the job in hand, and we need to carry on what we have been today because of late we have been a very good side.”

IPSWICH: Emil Sayfutdinov, Danyon Hume, Danny King, Erik Riss, Chris Harris, Keynan Rew, Jack Smith.
BELLE VUE: Brady Kurtz, Charles Wright r/r, Jaimon Lidsey, Tom Brennan, Dan Bewley, Norick Blodorn, Connor Bailey.