IPSWICH Witches team manager Pete Simmons is hopeful Morten Risager comes to the fore, at home to Redcar Bears tonight, following the Dane’s inconspicuous return to the team.

Risager suffered four broken vertebrae in his back in the Anglian Cup clash with Rye House Rockets in March and has only recently returned, scoring just 11 points in the last three meetings.

The Witches are looking for a morale-boosting victory after three straight defeats, including last Thursday’s 46-44 home loss to Rye House in the Premier League.

Since then, Ipswich have lost again to Rye House in the League Cup, and to Somerset in the Knockout Cup, but still progressed in the respective competitions, on aggregate against the Rebels and courtesy of their higher league standing over the Rockets.

However, standing ninth in the Premier League with just four points, Simmons is conscious all seven of his riders must contribute if they are to get a positive result.

“It is your performance in the league which gives you a picture at the end of the season and we need to start picking up results,” said Simmons.

“We should see Cameron Heeps return and that puts us back to full strength and helps us in reserve.

“We have had a bit of bad luck recently and we have got to get Morten going now.

“We knew it would take a couple of weeks to turn things round but we are looking at him to get back on it now.

“At the end of the day, the lads are paid on performance, so if they get one point they will be paid poorly and if they score ten they will be paid well.

“There is no lack of commitment there and with the greatest of respect, they are not footballers on �10,000 a week who will pick up their wages even if they are not playing.”