JOHN Louis saw his Ipswich Witches suffer heartbreaking away defeat and admitted: “We have to be more consistent.”Witches led 39-27 at fellow strugglers Eastbourne Eagles with four races to go and were still seven points clear after heat 13.

JOHN Louis saw his Ipswich Witches suffer heartbreaking away defeat and admitted: “We have to be more consistent.”

Witches led 39-27 at fellow strugglers Eastbourne Eagles with four races to go and were still seven points clear after heat 13.

But their 13-month wait for an away win continued after home skipper Davey Watt shared in 5-1s in the last two heats to see Eastbourne home 47-46.

Cameron Woodward got past Tobi Kroner for a second time to grab the crucial second place in heat 14.

Then Robert Miskowiak, fastest off the start all night until that point, timed it wrong at the gate in the nominated race and Watt and Edward Kennett sped away to settle the contest.

Until then, it had seemed Miskowiak's gating power, Chris Louis' appreciation of the racing lines at the tight Sussex circuit and another good night for Kroner would do the job for the Witches.

Jesper B Jensen crashed in heat 13 and withdrew from the meeting after taking a blow to the head.

That seemed to offer Eastbourne a glimmer of hope.

But, when Miskowiak powered away from the start to take the re-run with ease, the door seemed to have been slammed shut again.

John Louis admitted: “We can't be too downhearted - maybe about the end of the meeting but not about the first 11 heats. But if our boys can't sustain the pace that's their bad luck.

“The signs are there. We're not a bad side now but we need to be more consistent.

“It was one that got away from us that should never have got away from us. The boys rode well tonight. Chris, Jesper and Robert did well, but Tobi Kroner continued to show his good form of the last few weeks and I think that Kim did particularly well tonight.

“It's a shame and I can't believe that we have lost. The meeting turned when Jesper fell in heat 13, but there were a few occasions when we just needed to get that extra point to make things certain and we didn't get it.”

Louis was unhappy with referee David Dowling's decision to exclude Miskowiak from heat six, feeling he had crashed on the second bend because of contact from Kennett.

But Witches will expect to bag the bonus point at home, where their form has been good.

Watt reckoned the final result was “amazing” but said: “You have to give full credit to Ipswich.

“They have re-grouped halfway through the season and have got going. They have signed Jensen and that has been a team boost.

“Having a full team, not guests, has helped them and they have been on form.”

Back-to-back 5-1s in heats eight and nine gave Witches the 12-point cushion which should have sent them to victory at Arlington, scene of their only away point this year.

They also had a maximum in a re-run heat one after Kennett fell while leading under pressure from Jensen, who then finished the job in style with Kim Jansson.

Witches weathered a storm when Kennett, guesting while Nicki Pedersen was away compiling his seven-win maximum in the Czech Grand Prix, went scoreless in a tactical substitute outing.

Watt's double points win in heat 12 gave the home side hope.

Eastbourne were weakened by the loss after one ride of reserve Stefan Andersson, who felt unwell.