ROBERT Miskowiak will make “more and more progress” with the No. 1 race jacket on his back - so says friend and chief mechanic Miceiek Pietraszek.As Evening Star Witches man Miskowiak flew into Foxhall for tonight's Knock-out Cup clash with Wolverhampton, Pietraszek admitted the young Pole has been at a low ebb after a disappointing start to the season and with the pressures of riding at No. 1 for the Foxhall side.

Mike Bacon

ROBERT Miskowiak will make “more and more progress” with the No. 1 race jacket on his back - so says friend and chief mechanic Miceiek Pietraszek.

As Evening Star Witches man Miskowiak flew into Foxhall for tonight's Knock-out Cup clash with Wolverhampton, Pietraszek admitted the young Pole has been at a low ebb after a disappointing start to the season and with the pressures of riding at No. 1 for the Foxhall side.

But Pietraszek also predicted he would now only progress one way - and that was up.

“The No. 1 race jacket did worry Robert a bit,” Pietraszek said.

“I have never seen him start like it before. I think he was surprised to get the No. 1 because his average is not much more than last season.

“He is usually so quick from the starts but he hasn't been so far.

“He hasn't been feeling well but I'm happy to say all the blood tests he has had recently have proved OK. I think the No. 1 race jacket put pressure on him and he put pressure on himself.

“But we have also changed a few mechanical things and we are happy again and he will make more and more progress.”

Miskowiak had been the only Witch who, up to last Thursday's thrashing of Peterborough, was causing concern with low scores.

But a confidence-building meeting against the Panthers means the Witches are firing on all cylinders on all fronts.

Tonight's clash against Wolverhampton is the first round of the Knock-out Cup - the return leg is at Monmore Green on Monday - with the Witches hoping for a big lead to take to the tricky Midlands track.

Team manager Peter Simmons is in confident mood: “Last week we witnessed a truly awesome home performance from the Witches to demolish Peterborough, a team that we came very close to upsetting at the East of England Show Ground, too.

“Everyone did as I asked and we showed the great potential we have this season.”

Wolves, meanwhile, have also made a decent start to the season with a big thrashing of Poole on Monday night at Monmore, as skipper Freddie Lindgren roared to a paid maximum.

They will be without Kenneth Hansen tonight however - the young Dane is back in his home country after suffering cuts and burns in a crash in that Poole clash.

Wolves will be using the rider replacement facility for him, which means Ales Dryml and the reserves can take extra rides.

Tonight's teams

Ipswich Evening Star Witches: 1 R Miskowiak, 2 P Swiderski, 3 C Louis, 4 S Johnston, 5 J Hampel, 6 C Schramm, 7 T Kroner.

Wolves: 1 F Lindgren, 2 A Dryml, 3 N Kristian Iversen, 4 R/R, 5 D Howe, 6 N Klindt, 7 C Hefenbrock.

Referee: Mick Bates.

JASON Crump is the first confirmed rider for Steve Johnston's testimonial meeting at Coventry on June 22. The double world champion, who is in fine form for Belle Vue, was only too ready to accept the invitation.

He said of the current Ipswich Witches rider: “There's probably three or four other guys in speedway I've got as much time for as Johno and that's it, full stop.

“He's of my best four or five mates in the sport.”