A MAXIMUM three-point haul is the requirement Thursday night if Ipswich Witches are to seal their place in the League Cup semi-finals.

A MAXIMUM three-point haul is the requirement Thursday night if Ipswich Witches are to seal their place in the League Cup semi-finals.

The Suffolk side race Plymouth Devils), at Foxhall Stadium and boss Pete Simmons knows the importance of a good victory.

“It would be better to finish top of our section and we would then avoid Workington in the semi-finals from the northern section. They seem to be the form team right now.

“We can still overhaul Somerset at the top, but we can’t afford to drop silly points.”

The Witches will be looking at the weather forecast as much as anything else today, as they try and catch up on seven home and away meetings already postponed this season, with most Witches riders still race-rusty.

“The only good thing about all these meetings being off is that it has affected most clubs, not just us,” Simmons added.

“Although we have taken quite a battering over it.”

Plymouth travel to Foxhall with one of the best heat leader trios in the Premier League – England international Ben Barker, American Ryan Fisher and Aussie Cory Gathercole.

All three are capable of a big score and Ipswich will have to make sure they pick up points when none of those three are racing.

This is Ipswich’s last home League Cup meeting, but they still have to travel to Plymouth and Rye House.

A confidence-boosting victory is necesary as the Witches head north at the weekend, with two Premier League clashes – at Berwick on Saturday night and Newcastle on Sunday.

That task is made harder with the fact Dakota North is riding in Croatia in the world under-21 championships, so misses both meetings.

The Witches are using Edinburgh’s Matthew Wethers on both nights.

Tonight’s teams

Ipswich Witches: 1. Leigh Lanham 7.73, 2. R/R, 3. Kevin Doolan (C) 7.16, 4. Dakota North 6.40, 5. Mathieu Tresarrieu 6.35, 6. Cameron Heeps 3.00, 7. Rohan Tungate 5.00

Plymouth Devils: 1. Ben Barker 10.03 (C), 2. Todd Kurtz 4.97, 3. Ryan Fisher 9.49, 4. James Holder 4.51, 5. Cory Gathercole 6.72, 6. Gino Francheti 3.49, 7. Nicki Glanz 3.00

League Cup, southern section

P Pts.

Somerset 8 21

Ipswich 5 12

Rye House 6 7

Plymouth 5 3

Leicester 6 3

KEVIN DOOLAN column, in Thursday’s Ipswich Star