Ipswich Eagles stormed back from 13 points down to topple Elite League champions Wednesfield in a thrilling clash at Whitton Sports Centre on Sunday.

The Ipswich side, who had been defeated at Coventry two weeks ago, looked to be heading for a similar loss. But a stirring second-half comeback raised the roof as Josh Brooke stormed away in the final heat to clinch victory for Ipswich over a Wednesfield team who had not lost a league meeting for 20 months!

Not that things started well for the Suffolk side.

Ipswich’s Ashley Hill and Cody Chadwick led the first heat when Hill fell blocking Chadwick, leading to a 3-7 reversal. And an exclusion to Jamie Chittock in heat six saw Ipswich 38-51 down at half-time.

No-one could have predicted what happened next.

The second half began with a 4-2 to Charlie Rumbold and Dan Chambers over Wednesfield’s strongest pairing of Paul Heard and multi-British champion Ben Mould.

Hill and Chadwick reversed their fortunes with a 7-2 over Heard after Lee Kemp was excluded at the tapes and astonishingly the points deficit was recovered with an Ipswich 7-0 when Whetton was excluded at the tapes, then Heard for crossing the central line and gaining an advantage.

The Eagles went in to the final regular heat with a one point advantage. Matt Hill pulled away comfortably while Lee Aris attempted to ride Charlie Rumbold into last place. On the final bend Rumbold passed Aris, taking third in thrilling style and putting Ipswich three points up.

In the first of the two nominated heats Ashley Hill and Chadwick drew 5-5 with Whetton and Griffiths, leaving Wednesfield needing a 7-3 in the final heat.

Chittock held off Heard and Aris long enough to give Brooke an unassailable lead as the Eagles ran out deserved winners.

Ipswich Eagles 99: C Chadwick 19+1, A Hill 14, M Hill 12, J Brooke 20+1, J Chittock 13, C Rumbold 11, L Mower 4, D Chambers 5.

Wednesfield Aces 96: B Whetton 13+1, N Evans 8, L Kemp 7+2, P heard 15, L Aris 14, C Jewkes 10, M Griffiths 11, B Mould 18

Ipswich stage round one of the British Youth and Junior League at Whitton Sports Centre on Saturday, from 12 noon. And on Sunday Ipswich Whirlwinds entertain Norwich in South East division 1. The following week an Ipswich squad travels to Leszno in Poland for the European Club Championships.

Ipswich will be represented by Charlie Rumbold, Cody Chadwick, Leon Mower, Ashley Hill and Richard Fellgett.

Meanwhile, Ipswich’s Rumbold has also been called up to the Great Britain squad to face Poland in Leszno at the end of the month.