IPSWICH Evening Star Witches reserve Chris Schramm could be out for up to a month after his crash at Foxhall on Thursday.The Maldon-based rider suffered a fractured foot in the heat 11 accident against Wolverhampton, which has put an early stop to his current campaign.

Mike Bacon

IPSWICH Evening Star Witches reserve Chris Schramm could be out for up to a month after his crash at Foxhall on Thursday.

The Maldon-based rider suffered a fractured foot in the heat 11 accident against Wolverhampton, which has put an early stop to his current campaign.

Having seen a specialist yesterday, Schramm was advised it could be up to eight weeks he will be out for, but the Evening Star Witches man is hoping he will be back in half that.

Tonight, Shaun Tacey again takes the place of Schramm, as he did at Coventry on Friday night, as Ipswich look to hold on to an eight-point lead against Wolverhampton in the knock-out cup.

The Witches were cruising at Foxhall on Thursday, before two late heat advantages for the home side put the tie their way and they went back up the A14 with just a 42-50 defeat. Evening Star Witches team boss Peter Simmons is in no doubt of the requirement.

“We have got to get a result,” he said. “The Craven Shield is history now, we have got to move on and this is our only chance now of a cup run.

“Wolverhampton is a tricky track, but if we can get good first rides in, as half of them did at Coventry, we can progress.” Simmons must be frustrated by the Witches two most recent clashes, at home to Wolverhampton and at Coventry.

Both Steve Johnston and Chris Louis failed to win a race in either meeting, while Robert Miskowiak and Tobi Kroner flattered to deceive throughout.

Certainly more consistency is required from the Suffolk side who are doing a good job right now of trying to burst the bubble of such a good start to the season. But a result tonight will certainly restore the positivity.

Kenneth Hansen returns for the Wolves after a crash that saw him return to Denmark with bad lacerations below the waist.

And promoter Chris Van Straaten said: “We feel a lot more confident going into the meeting after getting that last heat 5-1 maximum at Ipswich on Thursday.

“We don't have a good record in cups and it would be nice to get one this season. But I think this tie is too close to call and could go down to the wire.”

The forecast in the Midlands today is not good and with freezing temperatures set for later in the evening, Witches fans are advised to check to see if the meeting is on before travelling.

Tonight's teams

Wolverhampton: F Lindgren, A Dryml, N K Iversen, K Hansen, D Howe, N Klindt, C Henfenbrock

Ipswich: R Miskowiak, P Swiderski, C Louis, S Johnston, J Hampel, S Tacey, T Kroner

The Elite League pairs meeting at King's Lynn on Saturday was called off after the track was declared unfit due to too much rain. Steve Johnston and Chris Louis were representing Ipswich.