Ipswich ‘Sackers’ Witches picked up a Premier League point after a narrow two-point victory at Redcar on Thursday.

However, only Ben Barker and Cameron Heeps did themselves any real justice, with the Witches having far too many last places. Indeed only a final heat 5-1 maximum to Ipswich made the score look closer than it really was.

The opening heat saw everyone but Barker on the ground, with home No.1 Ulrich Ostergaard excluded.

The Witches made the most of that and raced to a maximum 5-1.

Rohan Tungate and Micky Dyer had a nasty crash in heat three with Tungate, who appeared to rear up in front of his fellow Australian, excluded.

With Morten Risager unable to make any impression in the re-run and Leigh Lanham and Adam Ellis conceeding a 5-1 in heat four, the Witches were six points down. But Barker and Heeps rescued the situation with a maximum of their own in the next.

The Witches were soon on the back foot however with Ellis, Tungate and Risager all struggling early on and it was only teenager Heeps who was helping keep his side together, as he won heat eight – Ritchie Hawkins bagging a third place.

But it wasn’t happening for the Witches and again Lanham failed to trouble the home riders as the visitors went 10 points down.

Tungate was out for a tactical ride and although he and Risager filled the minor positions, it was the home side who were winning the heats.

However the Witches finished well, Tungate won heat 12 and when Risager got his act together to win heat 14, Hawkins’ third place gave Ipswich the chance to grab a point.

Summers won the last race but he was excluded when his silencer came adrift, the resultant awarded 5-1 to Ipswich making the score 47-45.