Far from good Friday for the Ipswich Witches but Peterborough Panthers rocket to the top of the League Cup table after beating the Witches twice

Ipswich Witches completed a far from good Friday with a second defeat to the Panthers in the return of yesterday’s double-header.

It meant the Suffolk side failed to pick up a single point from the two meetings, while Peterborough jumped to the top of the Southern Group table.

The Witches were marginally better on the big East of England bowl then they were at Foxhall, with Richie Worrall and Cameron Heeps looking especially decent.

But Good Friday was in general a disaster for the Witches who need to re-group very quickly as they start their Premier League campaign on Thursday against Scunthorpe.

Worrall shot from the outside to win the opening race for the Suffolk side, but Gino Manzares slid off at the back.

Joe Jacobs got into bother coming out of the second turn in the second heat. Ritchie Hawkins piled into the back of him in a nasty incident. Thankfully both got up but Jacobs was excluded. In the re-run Hawkins and Greenwood clashed down the home straight on lap two. Greenwood fell and was excluded, as the Witches sped to an easy 5-0 win.

However, Morten Risager and Heeps were left at the start in the next as the Panthers hit straight back. Tungate was away well off gate four but Lasse Bjerre swept round the outside of him on the fourth turn as the Panthers took the lead 12-11. Rene Bach was guesting for Peterborough now and he passed Tungate as Peterborough stretched their lead, while the news came through that Jacobs had withdrawn from the meeting after his spill.

Heeps shot round the outside of Bjerre in heat seven to win well in a fast time, as Ipswich picked two points back. But the Panthers were soon back in control after a maximum in heat eight. Heeps was improving all the time, pushing Lewis Blackbird all the way in heat 10 as the Witches hung on in the hope of a point or two.

Risager came out as a tactical rider in heat 12 and his six point victory, with Mills in third gave the Witches hope of a point, as they were now six down.

Worrall won the next and Heeps was improving all the time, but found himself squeezed out in heat 14 before crashing on the fourth bend.

He was excluded as Hawkins passed Greenwood in the re-run for second.

The Witches needed a heat advantage in the final race but Worrall was excluded for jumping the start twice and with it went the Witches chances of picking up even a point with the Witches star man starting off 15m.

Peterborough were worthy winners of both meetings, but the Witches will need to show more mettle than this if they are to enjoy a successful season.

The return of Worrall at Peterborough was a big plus, as was the performance of Heeps. But Adam Ellis was badly missed. A point or two at Rye House on Easter Sunday would ease some of the heartache for this Good Friday disappointment.

Scorers

Peterborough: R Bach 4+3, L Blackbird 11, A Dryml 7+1, U Ostergaard 13, L Bjerre 12+1, J Jacobs 0, O Greenwood 5+1.

Ipswich; R Worrall 10, G Manzares 0, M Risager 9+1, C Heeps 6, R Tungate 5, C Mills 5+1, R Hawkins 5+1.

Heat details

1 Worrall, Blackbird, Fisher, Manzares (f) 60.1, 3-3

2 Mills, Hawkins, Greenwood (f/x), Jacobs (f/x) 62.4, 3-8

3 Ostergaard, Dryml, Heeps, Risager 61.5, 8-9

4 Bjerre, Tungate, Greenwood, Hawkins 61.1, 12-11

5 Dryml, Worrall, Ostergaard, Manzares 60.3, 16-13

6 Blackbird, Bach, Tungate, Mills, 61.2, 21-14

7 Heeps, Bjerre, Risager, Greenwood 60.1, 23-18

8 Blackbird, Greenwood, Hawkins, Manzares 61.9, 28-19

9 Ostergaard, Tungate, Mills, Dryml 61.7, 31-22

10 Blackbird, Heeps, Risager, Bach 60.4, 34-25

11 Bjerre, Worrall, Greenwood, Manzares 62.2 38-27

12 Risager*, Dryml, Mills, Greenwood (f) 63.5 40-34

13 Worrall, Bjerre, Bach, Tungate (r) 62.5, 43-37

14 Ostergaard, Hawkins, Greenwood, Heeps (f/ex) 64.2 47-39

15 Ostergaard, Bjerre, Risager, Worrall (15m) 62.9 52-40

*tac ride points count double

Peterborough 3pts. Ipswich 0pts.

On Easter Sunday the Witches travel to Rye House in their penultimate League Cup clash, start 2pm.

The Witches welcome back Adam Ellis into the side and know a positive result will more than likely see them through to the semi-finals.

Rye House: E Kennett, J Bunyan, M Tresarrieu, J Garrity, S Boxall, L Bowen, S Lambert.

Ipswich: R Worrall, G Manzares, M Risager, C Heeps, R Tungate, A Ellis, R Hawkins.