Shock point for Witches at Lakeside

Monday, May 10, 2010
10:58 AM

IPSWICH Witches gained a shock Elite League point when they pushed Lakeside to the finish at the Arena-Essex Raceway Friday night.

The visitors looked out of the meeting when they went 10 points down after seven races but they showed great character to gain successive 5-1 results in heats 10 and 11 after Olly Allen had gained a second place in heat eight when riding for double points.

Scott Nicholls won the final race when Ipswich needed at least a share of the spoils to gain one points for finishing within six points of their hosts and there were encouraging performances from most of the visiting side.

Little was expected at a track when the Witches rarely have any joy but they put themselves in a good frame of mind for three tough meetings next week – including a home clash with the Hammers on Thursday – with a fighting display.

If it hadn’t been for the Davidsson brothers – Jonas and Daniel – in the home team Ipswich could well have come away with more than one points as the Hammeres heat leaders failed to have consistent nights.

Skipper Daniel King and Claus Vissing looked out of sorts in their opening two heats, but turned on the style in heat 10 with a full throttle first half a lap and impressive team riding.

Nicholls and Allen then combined to level the scores in the next race with Robert Miskowiak showing his class in a couple of races as well.

It was at reserve where Ipswich were weak.

They were without the injured Dawid Stachyra with Hugh Skidmore from Sheffield stepping in for his second Witches appearance after helping the Suffolk side beat Peterborough on Monday.

For the second meeting running Ipswich were unable to call on any of their reserves, doubling up riders or number eight so American Chris Kerr, who rides in the Premier League for Sheffield, stepped in to fill the other reserve berth.

Krzysztof Kasprzak was being sick between while Adams Sheilds was feeling the effects of a crash in Sweden on Tuesday and Paul Hurry was groggy after a grasstrack spill.

But all this aside it was still a worthy effort by the Witches against a side that had a trump card in Daniel Davidsson at reserve and able to take seven rides.

Witches team manager Pete Simmons said: “If I had been offered a point before the meeting started I would have bitten your hand off.

“It was one of our best efforts for many a season at Lakeside and only Davidsson at reserve denied us a possible unexpected victory.”

Scorers: Lakeside: K Kasprzak 6, S Robson 0, K Nieminen 5+3, J Davidsson 13, A Shields 5+1, P Hurry 5+1, D Davidsson 15+2

Ipswich: S Nicholls 13+1, O Allen 9+1, C Vissing 4+1, D King 5, R Miskowiak 8, H Skidmore 1+1, C Kerr 3+2..

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