King: We threw away chance of victory

Mike Bacon

ANNOYANCE and disappointment were written all over the faces of the Ipswich Witches riders and management after last night's six-point defeat to Swindon at Foxhall Stadium.

For 11 races the home side went toe-to-toe with the high-flying Robins, but they fell away at the end to gift the visitors, in the end, a comfortable victory.

Witches captain Danny King summed up his side's feelings.

“We threw it away, simple as that,” he said. “We made too many mistakes yet we had the team here to beat them tonight. We are all very disappointed.”

The Witches five-match unbeaten home run is now over and manager Pete Simmons admitted heat 12 was the turning point last night.

“We went into heat 12 two points ahead and I hoped we would come out of it four ahead.

“But Troy (Batchelor) completely missed the gate and suddenly we are two down.

“Swindon were beatable. If you had told me Leigh Adams was going to score eight points before the meeting, I'd have said we will win.

“Our reserves didn't pick up enough points and conceding a 5-1 in heat two at home isn't good enough.

“At the interval I was quite happy, although Robert (Miskowiak) was beaten in heat eight, when I would have put him down for a certain win.

“But we fell apart.”

Batchelor, riding against the club that own him, was out testing his bike after the meeting.

“If you don't make the starts here at Ipswich it is always tough. I'm disappointed, but hopefully have put a few things right by having a go round after the meeting.

“I try to win every race, but it is hard. I'll have to try and learn a few lines from Robert Miskowiak round here, he seems to know his way around Foxhall.”

The chances of the Witches making the top-four play-offs were slim before last night's defeat.

To make them now will require almost an unbeaten finish to the season for Pete Simmons' side, starting tonight at Lakeside.