IPSWICH Witches ended their away Elite League season with another defeat, this time at Eastbourne.

Eastbourne Eagles 50 Ipswich Witches 42

IPSWICH Witches ended their away Elite League season with another defeat, this time at Eastbourne.

The Eagles made it eight straight Elite League victories at Arlington Stadium, although the Witches at least made a battle of it, taking the home side to a last-heat decider, before going down 50 points to 42.

It’s been 16 away Elite League meetings for the Witches in 2010, bringing just one draw and 15 defeats. A poor record and one that must be addressed next season.

There were a few bright spots for the visitors last night, with Robert Miskowiak turning in a decent performance, although whether it is too little too late as regards a 2011 team place for the amiable Pole, remains to be seen.

Captain Danny King also rode well, but with Chris Slabon pulling out of the meeting after two rides, and Ales Dryml only coming to life in his final ride, the Witches never threatened to take all three points from this meeting.

However there was some good racing , with Scott Nicholls passing Thomas Jedrzejak in heat one before the Witches went behind in heat two after the home side rattled up their first 5-1 maximum of the night.

It was maximum number two in heat three for the Eagles and a 13-5 lead, before Miskowiak fired in his first race of the evening in race four. Indeed for a while it looked as though the Witches may get a 5-1 of their own, with Kozza Smith riding a fine race to try and keep Joonas Kylmakorpi at bay.

Chris Slabon’s meeting was over in heat five, when he damaged his hand after catching the back of Simon Gustafsson’s bike in a heat six crash.

It was a painful blow for the Ipswich Pole, and he took no further part in the meeting.

King who, with Nicholls, represents Ipswich in the Elite League Pairs at Foxhall on Saturday night, won heat seven, before a bizarre heat eight saw two exclusions and two re-runs, before the Eagles ran out 3-2 victors.

Miskowiak wore the black and white helmet colours, signalling a tactical ride in heat nine.

And he let no-one down with a tapes to flag win, with Smith netting third place, the resultant 7-2 scoreline, brought the Witches back into the meeting, just eight points behind.

The Witches had got themselves back into it and when King and Dawid Stachyra gated ahead in heat 12, the scores were now 39-35 and the Witches were showing a bit of spirit.

An exchange of 4-2s in heats 13 and 14 meant it was a last-heat decider, with the Witches needing a 5-1 maximum to draw the meeting.

But with Nicholls suffering machine problems on the start-line, a quick change of bike proved no good and Matej Zagar completed a perfect 15-point maximum for the home side, while the Witches were left to reflect on another meeting where they didn’t even pick up a point.

Scorers:

Eastbourne: M Zagar 15, T Jedrzejak 5+1, S Gustafsson 4, C Woodward 9+1, J Kylmakorpi 10+1, C Schramm 3+2, R Kling 4

Ipswich: S Nicholls 9, C Slabon 1+1, D King 9, A Dryml 4+1, R Miskowiak 10, D Stachyra 2+1, K Smith 7+1 Eagles 3pts. Witches 0.

Heat details

1 Zagar, Nicholls, Slabon, Jedrzejak 55.6 3-3

2 Kling, Schramm, Smith, Stachyra 57.4 8-4

3 Gustafsson, Woodward, King, Dryml 57.0 13-5

4 Miskowiak, Kylmakorpi, Smith, Kling 57.3 15-9

5 Woodward, Nicholls, Gustafsson, Smith 57.2 19-11

6 Zagar, Jedrzejak, Miskowiak, Stachyra 57.6 24-12

7 King, Kylmakorpi, Schramm, Dryml 57.1 27-15

8 Jedrzejak, Smith, Stachyra (f/ex), Kling(f/ex) 58.5 30-17

9 Miskowiak (tac ride), Woodward, Smith, Gustafsson (f/ex) 57.0 32-24

10 Zagar, King, Dryml, Jedrzejak 56.3 35-27

11 Kylmakorpi, Nicholls, Smith, Schramm (e/f) 56.8 38-30

12 King, Stachyra, Kling, Gustafsson (f) 56.9 39-35

13 Zagar, Nicholls, Kylmakorpi, Miskowiak 56.2 43-37

14 Dryml, Woodward, Smith, Kling (e/f) 57.3 45-41

15 Zagar, Kylmakorpi, Nicholls, King 56.9 50-42