Championship Ipswich Witches 52 Peterborough Panthers 41 Ipswich Witches recorded a comfortable championship victory over local rivals Peterborough Panthers tonight, writes Steve Waller.

East Anglian Daily Times: Connor Mountain crashes out of heat four of the Ipswich v Peterborough meeting at Foxhall StadiumConnor Mountain crashes out of heat four of the Ipswich v Peterborough meeting at Foxhall Stadium (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

With both teams utilising the rider replacement rule, there were a number of delays and the home victory was marred with a possible injury to star rider Cameron Heeps.

The Australian crashed into the fence in heat 12, when chasing Paul Starke, and went to hospital for an xray on his arm.

After a pair of 4-2’s in the first two heats Witches’ guest Mason Campton, deputising for the injured Kyle Newman, gave Heeps a few problems on the opening lap of heat 3, but somehow the pair came out on top in the Witches first 5-1 of the night.

A tight first bend in the next saw both home riders hit the track. Connor Mountain was soon up and after a delay was joined by teammate Schlein in the re-run, with the Witches pairing gaining a 4-2 in an awarded rerun, after Tom Bacon fell at the back.

East Anglian Daily Times: Nathan Greaves ahead of James Sarjeant and Chris Harris in the opening heat.Nathan Greaves ahead of James Sarjeant and Chris Harris in the opening heat. (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

Chris Harris won a tactical ride in heat five, as the visitors pulled three back, before King got the better of Holder in a 4-2 in the sixth.

Schlein scored his second win of the night in the next, to keep the Witches nine up and then in heat eight Campton and Greaves combined with a 4-2 to extend this to 11.

The visitors pulled a couple back with their own 4-2 in heat nine, after Heeps crashed out on the last bend, going for a big blast around the outside of Holder. However, it was short lived as Heeps made amends in the next, following King home for a 5-1 to take the Witches 13 points to the good.

Schlein went round Harris for his third win, in the first race after the interval, with Greaves picking up a point to extend the Witches’ lead to 15.

East Anglian Daily Times: Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins is interviewed by Stephen Foster ahead of the meeting.Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins is interviewed by Stephen Foster ahead of the meeting. (Image: � Copyright Stephen Waller)

After Heeps’ fall in the twelfth, Schlein completed his maximum in the thirteenth and following a win by impressive guest Campton in the penultimate heat, King had a battle with the Panthers pair in the last, rounding Harris and getting alongside Holder before just missing out.

Scorers:

Ipswich: D King 11, R/R, C Heeps 6+2 M Campton 12+1 R Schlein 12 N Greaves 7 C Mountain 4

Peterborough: C Harris 12+1, R/R, P Starke 8+1 U Ostergaard 4 J Holder 12 J Sarjeant 4+1 T Bacon 1

Heat details

1: King, Harris, Greaves, Sarjeant, 56.2 4-2

2: Greaves, Sarjeant, Mountain, Bacon 58.8 8-4

3: Campton, Heeps, Starke, Ostergaard 58.4 13-5

4: (Re-run) (Awarded) Schlein, Holder, Mountain, Bacon (f.exc) 17-7

5: Harris* Heeps, Campton, Sarjeant 57.5 20-23

6: King, Holder, Greaves, Sarjeant (fell) 57.4 24-15

7: Schlein, Ostergaard, Starke, Mountain (fell-rem) 57.7 27-18

8: Campton, Starke, Greaves, Bacon, 58.4 31-20

9: Holder, Campton, Sarjeant, Heeps (fell), 57.8 33-24

10: King, Heeps, Starke, Ostergaard, 57.0 38-25

11: (Re-run) Schlein, Harris, Greaves, Sarjeant 57.0 42-27

12: Starke, Mountain, Bacon, Heeps (fell) (awarded) 44-31

13: Schlein, Holder, Harris, King 57.4 47-34

14: Campton, Ostergaard, Sarjeant, Mountain 59.1 50-37

15: Holder, King, Harris, Campton 58.0 52-41