IPSWICH Witches go straight into Knock-Out Cup action when the 2009 speedway season begins in earnest.After a 'friendly skirmish' with Lakeside home and away to blow the cobwebs out of the system the new-look Witches entertain Belle Vue in the first round of the cup on Thursday March 26.

Elvin King

IPSWICH Witches go straight into Knock-Out Cup action when the 2009 speedway season begins in earnest.

After a 'friendly skirmish' with Lakeside home and away to blow the cobwebs out of the system the new-look Witches entertain Belle Vue in the first round of the cup on Thursday March 26.

The second leg takes place in Manchester on Monday April 20, and Pete Simmons' side will want to catch the Aces cold and build up a big lead at Foxhall Stadium.

The traditional home and away Elite League double on Good Friday sees Ipswich entertaining Lakeside in the afternoon, and then motoring down to Purfleet for the return fixture in the evening.

On the May Bank Holiday, the Witches have an afternoon home encounter with Peterborough while they have a Monday night home planned televised fixture against Swindon on June 1.

Otherwise all home meetings are scheduled for Thursday nights, and with no new teams it is basically the same fixture list as last season.

IPSWICH WITCHES - FIXTURES 2009

Thu March 19 - Lakeside (H) - (Ch)

Fri March 20 - Lakeside (A) - (Ch)

Thu March 26 - Belle Vue (H) - (KOC)

Thu April 2 - Coventry (H) - (ELA)

Thu April 9 - Peterborough (A) - (ELA)

Fri April 10 - Lakeside (H) - (ELA)

Fri April 10 - Lakeside (A) - (ELA)

Thu April 16 - Eastbourne (H) - (ELA)

Mon April 20 - Belle Vue (A) - (KOC)

Thu April 23 - Poole (H) - (ELA)

Wed April 29 - Poole (A) - (ELA)

Thu April 30 - Wolverhampton (H) - (ELA)

Sat May 2 - Eastbourne (A) - (ELA_

Mon May 4 - Peterborough (H) - (ELA)

Thu May 7 - No Meeting

Mon May 11 - Wolverhampton (A) - (ELA)

Thu May 14 - Coventry (H) - (ELB)

Mon May 18 - Belle Vue (A) - (ELA)

Thu May 21 - Eastbourne (H) - (ELB)

Mon May 25 - Coventry (A) - (ELA)

Thu May 28 - Belle Vue (H) - (ELA)

Mon June 1 - Swindon (H) - (ELA)

Thu June 4 - Swindon (A) - (ELA)

Thu June 11 - Reserved (H)

Thu June 18 - Poole (H) - (KOC provisional)

Wed June 24 - Poole (A) - (KOC provisional)

Thu June 25 - Lakeside (H) - (ELB)

Thu July 2 - Swindon (A) - (ELB)

Wed July 8 - Poole (A) - (ELB)

Thu July 9 - Wolverhampton (H) - (ELB)

Fri July 10 - Coventry (A) - (ELB)

Thu July 23- Reserved (H)

Mon July 27 - Wolverhampton (A) - (ELB)

Thu July 30 - Poole (H) - (ELB)

Thu August 6 - Peterborough (H) - (ELB)

Thu August 13 - Reserved (H)

Mon August 17 - Belle Vue (A) - (ELB)

Thu August 20 - Belle Vue (H) - (ELB)

Thu August 27 - Swindon (H) - (ELB)

Fri August 28 - Lakeside (A) - (ELB)

Mon August 31 - Peterborough (A) - (ELB)

Thu September 3 - Reserved (H)

Sat September 5 - Eastbourne (A) - (ELB)

Thu September 10 - Reserved (H)

Key: ELA = Elite League A fixtures. ELB = Elite League B fixtures. KOC = Knock Out Cup. Ch = Challenge.