Ipswich Witches 48 Peterborough Panthers 42

Ipswich Witches gained their first victory of the 2016 season in a thoroughly entertaining League Cup clash at Foxhall Stadium.

The Suffolk side won 48-42 against a battling Peterborough Panthers who deservedly took home a point after a final race 4-2 in their favour.

For the Witches though, victory was theirs, and this was much more like it.

Determined from the gate and fast out-track the top five in the team were excellent, with Danny King and Lewis Kerr especially impressive.

They won seven races between them, while Nico Covatti produced some all-action heroics during some cracking rides – Morten Risager and James Sarjeant also both impressed.

The only concern for Chris Louis and the Witches management will be the scoring of the two reserves. Darryl Ritchings and Paco Castagna only grabbed a point each – the difference between the Witches winning last night – and the Witches winning very well.

However, there were far more positives than negatives for the Foxhall faithful, who have had to wait long for a better performance than the opening night defeat a month ago against Scunthorpe.

It leaves the Witches still in with a shout of winning the Midland Section of their League Cup group, although away wins at Sheffield and Peterborough are likley to be needed.

Peterborough were well served by captain Ulrich Ostergaard who had one of his best Foxhall meetings and the Panthers were solid throughtout, with reserve Tom Perry impressing.

They never let the Witches get away and because of that, grabbed a point their efforts warranted.

1 King, Ostergaard, Sarjeant, Lambert 59.0 4-2

2 Perry, Grondal, Ritchings, Castagna 61.2 5-7

3 Kerr, Risager, Jakobsen, Palm-Toft 58.5 10-8

4 Covatti, Porsing, Perry, Ritchings 59.2 13-11

5 Kerr, Ostergaard, Risager, Lambert 58.9 17-13

6 King, Porsing, Sarjeant, Grondal 59.0 21-17

7 Jakobsen, Covatti, Palm-Toft, Castagna 60.0 23-19

8 Sarjeant, Lambert, Perry, Ritchings 60.9 26-22

9 Porsing, Kerr, Risager, Grondal 60.1 29-25

10 King, Jakobsen, Sarjeant, Palm-Toft 60.2 35-31

11 Ostergaard, Covatti, Lambert, Castagna 60.2 35-31

12 Kerr, Jakobsen, Grondal, Ritchings 59.4 38-34

13 King, Ostergaard, Covatti, Porsing 59.6 42-36

14 Risager, Palm-Toft, Castagna, Perry 60.4 46-38

15 Ostergaard, King, Jakobsen, Kerr 60.2 48-42

Ipswich 3 pts. Peterborough 1 pt.

Ipswich: D King 14, J Sarjeant 6, L Kerr 11, M Risager 7+2, N Covatti 8, D Ritchings 1, P Castagna 1.

Peterborough: U Ostergaard 12, S Lambert 3, N Busk-Jakobsen 9, M Palm-Toft 3, N Porsing 7, E Grondal 3+2, T Perry 5+2.