Ipswich Witches vRye House Rockets, Challenge, Foxhall Stadium tonight, 7.30pm.'LEAPING' Len Silver, as he is affectionately known, brings his Rye House side to Foxhall Stadium tonight, 7.

By Mike Bacon

Ipswich Witches v

Rye House Rockets, Challenge, Foxhall Stadium tonight, 7.30pm.

'LEAPING' Len Silver, as he is affectionately known, brings his Rye House side to Foxhall Stadium tonight, 7.30pm start, with just one intention - to win.

The Rye House promoter, who rode for the Witches in the 50s, reckons he has a score to settle with a Witches side he came desperately close to beating at Foxhall Heath last season.

That was in the British League Cup and Ipswich won 46-44 on a night when his two top riders, Brent Werner and Chris Neath scored just one point between them.

“It might only be a challenge fixture, but I can assure you and the people of Ipswich, we are coming to win.

“We have no intention of just making the numbers up. We can ride that track well and should have beaten Ipswich at their place last year.

“Rye House have a decent little side this season and we go well on small tracks. I'm telling you we are very confident.”

Silver has had a love/hate relationship with the Witches for many years and in his time as promoter of Hackney he and the Witches promotion were often at loggerheads.

“I've had my run-ins with Ipswich and I'm not alone in finding Foxhall Stadium a bit antagonistic.

“As soon as you walk through the pit gate it starts, and the machine examiner always seems to be having a look at the opposition bikes more than he does the home team's.

“Foxhall Stadium has that air about it and it probably goes back to John Berry's day. I'm not alone in saying I don't always enjoy my visits there.”

The Witches will be without Scott Nicholls, Hans Andersen and Jesper B Jensen, who are all on duty in the Slovenian Grand Prix on Saturday night and have practice tomorrow.

The Foxhall side will be boosted by the return of Danny Bird from injury and will also include former Witches favourites Leigh Lanham and Shane Parker.

Rye House rode at King's Lynn last night and are having a good season in the Premier League.

Former Poole man, Davey Watt, heads the averages, with the Rockets next four men all averaging over seven points a meeting.

Youngster Steve Boxall has impressed this year and he guested for the Witches at Arena Essex last season in a British League Cup meeting.

The Witches season really gets put to the test next week with Elite League trips to Peterborough, Oxford and Eastbourne in the KO Cup, while they entertain Arena Essex at Foxhall in the League next Thursday.

That's a big week ahead, however for now it is Rye House who will hope to keep the Witches on their toes tonight in what could be an interesting fixture.

Tonight's teams

Ipswich: 1 Chris Louis, 2 Danny Bird, 3 Leigh Lanham, 4 Tom P Madsen, 5 Shane Parker, 6 Daniel King, 7 Matthew Wright.

Rye House: 1 Chris Neath, 2 Steve Masters, 3 Davey Watt, 4 Scott Robson, 5 Brent Werner, 6 Tommy Allen, 7 Steve Boxall

ADMISSION prices for adults have been reduced tonight to £10. It is still £8 concessions and £3 for children.