FORMER Ipswich ‘Sackers’ Witches skipper, Kevin Doolan, returned to haunt his old club

FORMER Ipswich ‘Sackers’ Witches skipper, Kevin Doolan, returned to haunt his old club – helping condemn them to a heavy defeat at Berwick on Saturday.

Doolan raced to a paid maximum as the Witches’ play-off hopes were finally extinguished.

However, despite his full haul against the team who dumped him earlier in the season as his form faltered, Doolan still says he has no axe to grind.

“It wasn’t the best place for Ipswich to ride against me, as I know Berwick very well,” Doolan said yesterday.

“Of course I wanted to do well, but there is no malice from me or any sort of revenge. That’s not the way I am.

“Then again I did travel to Berwick wanting to do well. But I always give 100% wherever I race and for whoever I race for, so I didn’t put in any extra effort. I just enjoyed myself.”

Doolan, who has just come out of hospital after suffering nose bleeds and a throat infection, still feels Ipswich can reach a cup final, now their play-off hopes are over.

“To be honest, when I rode for Ipswich we were capable of going anywhere and winning, and that includes Edinburgh and Workington,” Doolan added.

“A fully-fit Ipswich team is always strong and clearly Morten Risager and Mat Tresarrieu are flying, so they will have a good chance of reaching a cup final – maybe two.”

The Witches never looked like threatening to take all four league points that they needed to keep their play-off hopes alive on Saturday, however.

They weren’t helped by a nasty crash involving Dakota North and David Bellego, the Ipswich rider getting out of shape on turn two, leaving Bellego with nowhere to go.

North damaged a wrist but looks set to be fit enough to take his place in the Witches team to race against Workington on Thursday night in the League Cup semi-final, first leg at Foxhall. Tresarrieu was in good form for the visitors, rattling up a paid 17 points. But Ipswich only won four heats, three of them by the French star.

Scorers:

Berwick: K Doolan 11+1, D Bellego 6+3, N Barrett 3+1, R Aspegren 12+1, S Alden 15, K Jakobsen 1+1, M Dyer 7+1.

Ipswich: L Lanham 6+1, D North 3, T Poole 2+1, M Risager 8, R Tungate 4+1, M Tresarrieu 15+2, B Bekker 1.

Heat details:

1 Doolan, Bellego, North, Lanham (e/f) 66.9 5-1

2 Tresarrieu, Dyer, Jakobsen, Bekker (f) 67.3 8-4

3 Risager, Aspegren, Barrett, Poole (f) no time 11-7

4 Alden, Dyer, Tungate, Bekker 66.5 16-8

5 Aspegren, North, Lanham, Barrett 66.6 19-11

6 Doolan, Tungate, Tresarrieu, Bellego 66.7 22-14

7 Alden, Risager, Poole, Jakobsen 66.7 25-17

8 Dyer, Bellego, Bekker, North (f/ex) 67.0 30-18

9 Aspegren, Tresarrieu *, Tungate, Barrett 66.6 33-23

10 Doolan, Bellego, Risager, Poole 68.6 38-24

11 Alden, Lanham*, Tresarrieu, Jakobsen 67.2 41-29

12 Tresarrieu, Barrett, Poole, Dyer 68.4 43-33

13 Alden, Doolan, Lanham, Tungate 66.6 48-34

14 Tresarrieu, Aspegren, Risager, Dyer 68.1 50-38

15 Alden, Aspegren, Risager, Tresarrieu (e/f) 66.9 55-39

*tac ride points count double

Berwick 3pts. Ipswich 0pts.