IPSWICH Witches hopes of a run in this season’s knock-out cup were sent crashing at Wolverhampton last night.

IPSWICH Witches hopes of a run in this season’s knock-out cup were sent crashing at Wolverhampton last night.

Already three points behind after a disappointing home leg on Thursday, the Witches were sent packing from the off. And quite frankly this meeting looked all over well before the mathmatics confirmed such.

Only Scott Nicholls and Dawid Stachyra could leave the midlands proud of their efforts.

Too many times the Witches were caught out on the tight Monmore Green circuit, and when they did make the start, as in heat 10, Olly Allen and Danny King somehow managed to drift so wide, the Wolves pairing nipped through.

Wolves are good at home, make no doubt, and with a lead of three points going into the tie, their tails were well and truly up.

It was almost Mission Impossible for the Witches, but they didn’t help themselves.

Even the usually reliable Nicholls conceded a 5-1 maximum to Freddie Lindgren and Ty Proctor in the very first race.

It was a tight finish however and video replays were needed to determine if Nicholls pipped Proctor for second. He didn’t.

Stachyra won heat two and Nicolai Klindt, so impressive at Foxhall on Thursday, fell on turn one of heat three.

Robert Miskowiak, so superb at Eastbourne on Saturday, didn’t look the same rider in heat four of last night’s clash, trailing a long way behind, as Wolves took a grip on the meeting.

Nicholls won the next, and then Miskowiak and Stachyra were unlucky, as Freddie Lindgren almost stopped on turn one in heat six, impeding both of them.

King’s tactical ride bought the Witches their first heat advantage and Miskowiak had another tactical ride in heat nine, as the Witches improved somewhat.

The slick track wasn’t producing as exciting racing as usually seen at Wolverhampton, but the Witches finished with a bit of pride, Nicholls winning heat 12 and Allen heat 14.

Nicholls was harshly excluded in the final race when even most partisan Wolves fan thought an all-four re-run would suffice.

But the damage was done at Foxhall on Thursday and the Witches had no excuses.

Scorers: Wolverhampton: F Lindgren 13+2 (max), T Proctor 8+1, N Klindt 4+1, J Screen, 8+1, T Woffinden 9, L Lindgren 4, C Kerr 9+3

Ipswich: S Nicholls 9, C Vissing 1, D King 5+1, O Allen 7+1, R Miskowiak 11+1, D Stachyra 7, C Wilkinson 0