IPSWICH Witches somehow managed to throw away a 12-point lead to go down 46-47 to Swindon Robins at Foxhall Stadium.

IPSWICH Witches somehow managed to throw away a 12-point lead to go down 46-47 to Swindon Robins at Foxhall Stadium.

The Suffolk side made a dream start and were 24-12 ahead after six races, but with Robert Miskowiak, Ipswich’s second heat leader, completely off form, the Robins got themselves back into the meeting and shared the final race of the evening 3-3 to snatch victory.

The ramifications of this defeat, that kept Ipswich bottom of the Elite League, could linger long, as the Foxhall management were badly let down by certain riders. The boos that rang out at the end of heat 15 were testament to that and much work behind the scenes is going to have to be done in the coming weeks.

There is never any disgrace in losing in the Elite League, but you will have to go a long way in recent seasons to find a team 12 points ahead, lose at home. The whole night was so disappointing as the Witches made the best possible start, flying from the tapes in heats one and two.

It was 10-2 to the home side before you could blink, and when Danny King and Ales Dryml gained another heat advantage in heat three, it all looked fine and dandy for the Foxhall faithful.

But Miskowiak made a hash of the first turn in the next, although the resultant 4-2 to the visitors meant they couldn’t use Leigh Adams as a tactical rider in heat five, as they were only eight down at that point.

Olly Allen and Scott Nicholls hammered home another maximum in heat six, but it all went horribly wrong for the Witches in the next.

Miskowiak and Dawid Stachyra made a complete hash of the first turn, not making the start and then failing to push fellow countryman Grzegorz Zengota wide when they had the chance.

Zengota linked up with Mads Korneliussen, who was on double points, and a Robins 8-1 was a big blow to the home side. It was nip and tuck for a few races before the Miskowiak/Stachyra partnership managed to blow it again, as Leigh Adams and Morten Risager easily gained a 5-1 maximum. Incredibly Swindon were now just one point behind, having been 12 adrift five races previously.

King won the next and as Miskowiak was replaced in heat 13 by Sundstrom, a large cheer went up around Foxhall.

Nicholls won that heat, before it all went horribly wrong for the Witches once more, as Jonasson, looking so determined, went down the back straight to pass both Witches in heat 14. And one lap later, Korneliussen passed Stachyra, as the Robins took a one-point lead into the final heat.

Nicholls did all he could to win again, but despite his efforts King couldn’t get past Korneliussen and the Witches remain bottom.

Scorers

Ipswich: S Nicholls 13+1, O Allen 8+1, D King 11, A Dryml 3+1, R Miskowiak 1, D Stachyra 4, L Sundstrom 6

Swindon: L Adams 10+1, M Risager 4+1, G Zengota 5+1, M Korneliussen 12+2, S Stead 7+1, J Sedgmen 1, T Jonasson 8.