IPSWICH Witches' Bank Holiday Elite League clash with Peterborough at Foxhall Stadium yesterday fell victim to the weather.It is the second rained-off meeting for the Suffolk side at Foxhall this season, and this one will have hurt, being a potentially lucrative clash against one of the Elite League's best sides.

By Mike Bacon

IPSWICH Witches' Bank Holiday Elite League clash with Peterborough at Foxhall Stadium yesterday fell victim to the weather.

It is the second rained-off meeting for the Suffolk side at Foxhall this season, and this one will have hurt, being a potentially lucrative clash against one of the Elite League's best sides.

But no-one can complain that the Witches management didn't do all in their power to get it on. Despite persistent drizzle the track had held up well, but clearly required work done on it if the go-ahead to race was given. However eventually at 2.05pm the meeting was called off.

“We decided to give it up to 2pm,” Witches promoter John Louis said.

“At 2pm, if it wasn't raining, we would work on the track. But that work would have taken an hour and although we felt sure our fans wouldn't have minded waiting, the rain was still coming down at 2pm and it was then impossible.

“The Met Office forecast, which had said it was going to brighten up in the afternoon, changed a bit to more showers and that made our minds up.”

It was certainly the right decision and backed up by Panthers skipper Hans Andersen, who walked the track with Witches skipper Chris Louis and referee Paul Carrington.

“Bob (Ellis) said he would need an hour to get the track right,” Andersen said.

“But by the time he would have got round the second bend, the first would have been too wet again. It was the right decision.”

Andersen, who also suffered a rain-off in Poland for his club Wroclaw on Sunday, admitted it would have been nice to have a go at a weakened Witches side. But he felt it will make no difference next time the two sides meet.

“We race Ipswich back at Foxhall in a few weeks and I am confident we can get the win I felt we might get here today,” Andersen added.

The Witches meanwhile do face Peterborough this week, on Thursday night at the East of England Showground. Before that tomorrow night they travel to Belle Vue.

Adam Shields is set to guest for the Witches at Belle Vue, but has pulled out of the Peterborough clash due to the fact he didn't ride well there last time and didn't want to let the Witches down.

Simon Stead has been asked to guest, although if he says no, the Witches will use a hugely unsatisfactory rider replacement facility.