Ipswich Witches 42 Somerset Rebels 48

Ipswich Witches were given a lesson in gating as Somerset Rebels took home the spoils from Foxhall Stadium.

In what was the Suffolk side’s opening home Premier League clash of the season, Somerset deservedly won, as an inconsistent home top five failed to deliver.

Only Danny King and Morten Risager did the required job for Chris Louis’ team and the Witches director of speedway must be tearing his hair out over what to do with his side.

While all the initial concerns at Foxhall have been the lack of firepower of the reserves, there was little, points-wise, to choose between the two teams in that department.

However, in the main body of the team there were huge differences. While the Rebels were solid throughout, the Witches were all over the place.

Lewis Kerr ran two last places before heat five was over and Nico Covatti fell twice on his way to a miserable three points.

The entertainment was decent and there were a few cracking races and indeed, having raced the likes of Sheffield, Peterborough and Somerset at home in the opening weeks it’s been a tough baptism for the Witches – all three expected to be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

But excuses won’t wash and a point or two from Friday night’s return leg at the Oak Tree Arena, in Somerset is essential, preferably with gating boots firmly on!

Scorers

Ipswich: D King 12, J Sarjeant 4, L Kerr 6, M Risager 10+1, N Covatti 3, P Castagna 5+2, D Ritchings 2

Somerset: J Grajczonek 14, J Allen 5+1, C Wright 6+3, P Starke 7+1, R Tungate 8+1, B Wilson-Dean 7+2, Z Wajtknecht 1+1

Heat details

1 King, Grajczonek, Sarjeant, Allen 58.5 4-2

2 Wilson-Dean, Ritchings, Castagna, Wajtknecht 60.4 7-5

3 Risager, Wright, Starke, Kerr 60.2 10-8

4 Covatti, Tungate, Wajtknecht, Ritchings 58.3 13-1

5 Grajczonek, Risager, Allen, Kerr 58.4 15-15

6 King, Tungate, Wilson-Dean, Sarjeant 58.1 18-18

7 Starke, Wright, Castagna, Covatti (f) 58.8 19-23

8 Sarjeant, Allen, Wilson-Dean, Ritchings 59.5 22-26

9 Kerr, Risager, Tungate, Wajtknecht 59.0 27-27

10 King, Starke, Wright, Sarjeant 58.6 30-30

11 Grajczonek, Allen, Castagna, Covatti (f/x) 60.7 31-35

12 Kerr, Wilson-Dean, Wright, Rithings 59.8 34-38

13 Grajczonek, Tungate, King, Covatti 59.1 35-43

14 Risager, Castagna, Starke, Wilson-Dean 60.0 40-44

15 Grajczonek, King, Tungate, Risager 59.8 42-48