PLAY-OFF chasing Peterborough travel to Foxhall on Thursday in search of Elite League points against the Ipswich Witches.On the last occasion the two teams met in May, Panthers led by quite a margin only to lose the match in a final heat decider.

PLAY-OFF chasing Peterborough travel to Foxhall on Thursday in search of Elite League points against the Ipswich Witches.

On the last occasion the two teams met in May, Panthers led by quite a margin only to lose the match in a final heat decider.

Ipswich have of course dramatically changed their team since that occasion and have also hit some form, having thrashed Poole last week at Foxhall in their biggest win of the season so far.

The additions of Scott Nicholls, Robert Miskowiak and Troy Batchelor recently has given the team a boost and they are now a solid looking team, especially around Foxhall.

Tobias Kroner and captain Danny King complete their top five although there is a question mark against King who missed the last match with a rib injury sustained in Sweden last week.

King is expected to be fit but the Witches will utilise rider replacement in the event of his absence.

Panther's team manager Trevor Swales meanwhile has shuffled the pack after the release of the new August GSA. Claus Vissing moves up into the team to partner captain Niels Kristian Iversen at No.2, Kenneth Hansen at three will now be partnered with Kenneth Bjerre and Mads Korneliussen takes over the No.5 race jacket.

Swales said: “I felt we needed to change something because we are not getting the results in the right places and we are certainly lacking race wins, this should make us stronger in heat 14 and provides us with other options.

“I had to change things anyway with Claus and Ales swapping positions so thought it right to try different ideas. Ipswich are a different team to the one we faced at Foxhall in the A fixture and whether King rides or not could be the key, but I am expecting to get something out of this match, even if it's only a point.”

Ales Dryml moves down to the reserves just as he has hit some form recently and will ride at six with Henning Bager dropping down to No.7.

Claus Vissing, who moves up into the team, is relishing the move. He said: “It's a fresh challenge for me and I am looking forward to it, I am just keen to race and heat 1 holds no fears for me, I am sure I will enjoy riding with Niels; we do get on.

“The only downside is I won't get any extra rides now like you do when you are at reserve. I think we can do well at Ipswich on Thursday, me and Kenneth (Hansen) rode well last time and as long as we stay focused the team can get at least a point and possibly even more.”

Promoter Mick Bratley said: “Every time we face Ipswich, there seems to be some sort of controversy. At home we had the 'white line' incident, and I witnessed John Louis almost self combust. Then in our last visit to Foxhall, Bob the track man used almost his whole year's budget for diesel on re-laying the track during the heat eight interval, also causing John to nearly self combust!

“Seriously though, I always enjoy our visits to Foxhall, though I don't always enjoy the results. Much depends on our heat leaders and how they perform. Perhaps we will tell Kenneth Bjerre that it's really a GP rather than an EL fixture!”

Previous History

Witches v Panthers

2009 - Ipswich 48 Peterborough 45 ELA

2008 - Ipswich 54 Peterborough 38 ELB

2008 - Ipswich 60 Peterborough 31 ELA

2008 - Ipswich 61 Peterborough 31 CS

Teams in alphabetical order (Green Sheet Averages in Brackets)

Ipswich Witches

Troy BATCHELOR (6.73), Danny KING (6.7.04) Captain, Tobias KRONER (4.77), Scott NICHOLLS (8.96), Robert MISKOWIAK (5.66), Dawid STACHRYA (3.87) & Carl WILKINSON (3.24).

Team Manager - Pete Simmons

Peterborough Panthers

Henning BAGER (4.47), Kenneth BJERRE (7.63), Ales DRYML (4.84), Kenneth HANSEN (6.18), Niels Kristian IVERSEN (7.87) Captain, Mads KORNELIUSSEN (6.73) & Claus VISSING (4.96).

Team Managers - Trevor & Wayne Swales

SCB Referee - Mr James McGregor