Having well and truly ignited their new season with a last heat victory at Peterborough last Tuesday, the Silver Ski Rockets will be determined to continue their impressive start when they travel to Ipswich for another League Cup fixture this Thursday and then host the Panthers in their home opener in the East of England Cup two nights later (Saturday, March 29th @ 7pm).

The Rockets will field the same line-up for both matches as that which won at the East of England Showground last week. Rider-Replacement will remain in operation for Jason Bunyan, who is in New Zealand preparing for his Wildcard spot in the Auckland Grand Prix.

Team manager John Sampford recognises the clear benefit of their Showground victory for their new challenges both at Foxall Heath and at home on Saturday. Speaking, firstly, about Thursday’s encounter, he feels that “We’re going to carry a lot of initial momentum into Ipswich on Thursday. It really was a wonderful result, and a night to remember. We’ve not managed too many victories at Peterborough over the years, which made it even sweeter. Everyone gave everything, and I couldn’t have asked for any more.

“We’ll be going to Ipswich with the aim of emulating what we did at the Showground. Mathieu Tresarrieu will be going back to a former stamping ground, and Jason Garrity will hopefully have got to the bottom of the bike problems he suffered last week.

“Ipswich have a pretty settled side for this year, and look a very good and well balanced one too, with Richie Worrall and Gino Manzares coming in.

“It will be an interesting evening, and I don’t think anyone can predict the outcome. “That’s the magic of it.”

Sampford is also anticipating an “interesting evening” when the Rockets host the Panthers on Saturday. Like themselves, Peterborough will field an unchanged side from last Tuesday’s first encounter between the clubs, and Sampford expects just as tough a test this time around. “No doubt the Panthers will be smarting from last Tuesday, and they have already rebounded by winning an inter-league challenge match at Elite League Leicester on Saturday. They have got a very strong top four in Ryan Fisher, Ales Dryml, Ulrich Ostergaard and Lasse Bjerre, and their reserves have also been picking up points in their first two fixtures.

“So we cannot be remotely complacent, despite our victory at their place. Those statistics are in the past now and we have to deliver the goods again on the track.

“I fully expect it to be close and tense, and the local derby atmosphere should add an extra factor.”

Rye House team for both matches (alphabetical order): Luke Bowen, Steve Boxall, Jason Bunyan R/R, Jason Garrity, Edward Kennett, Simon Lambert, Mathieu Tresarrieu