SPEEDWAY: Ipswich Witches will be looking to Linus Sundstrom to come up with the goods when they entertain Lakeside in an Elite League meeting at Foxhall Stadium tonight (start 7.30pm).

The young Swede has along with Scott Nicholls been the success story so far in what has been a very disappointing year for the Witches.

He rides for Rye House in the Premier League and also in his home country and Poland, and quite understandably his doubling-up duties with Ipswich are not his top priority.

Sundstrom is still learning his trade and to this end his meetings with the Rockets in the lower league are providing him with the education that he seeks at this time in his career to make it to the very top of his profession.

Whenever the teenager has ridden for Ipswich he has done well with his undoubted class showing through and Witches fans will be looking for him to score points at the bottom end that will see off a Hammers side that will be looking to bounce back after losing at home to Poole on Monday.

Like Nicholls, Daniel King, Robert Miskowiak and Dawid Stachyra, Sundstrom has got to know the best way around the 2010-altered Foxhall circuit.

Early season there was precious little home track advantage, but this should not start to change with every lap that home riders complete.

But this will be of little help to Chris Slabon tonight, who will be making his Ipswich Foxhall return for the first time since 2002.

Slabon struggled at Wolverhampton on Monday – a defeat that anchored Ipswich nine points adrift at the foot of the table – although he did start well in a couple of races to show that the Pole means business in his return to British speedway.

His fellow countryman Miskowiak sustained a dislocated ankle that is swollen and a serious burn to his hand in a heavy spill at Monmore Green on Monday.

Ipswich will operate the rider replacement facility for him tonight with Richie Hawkins named as the Witches number eight.

Great Britain’s Lee Richardson leads the Hammers attack along with Swedish World Cup hero Jonas Davidsson and Foxhall track specialist Adam Shields from Australia.

The play-off chasing visitors has dispensed with the services of Daniel Davidsson after Monday’s defeat and brought in Swedish international Peter Ljung.

Ljung rode for Hammers team manager Jon Cook at Eastbourne, and joins on loan from Swindon.

Cook said: “Peter is a determined character who by his own admission has not given British speedway a proper go, but he feels now is the time and he will give us added bite particularly away from home.

“Lee Richardson and Adam Shields are both fans of Peter’s style of racing and fans that have seen him in previous year’s Speedway World Cups will know that on his day he can beat the best.”

A win for Ipswich is imperative if they are to stand any chance of moving away from the foot of the table, with home meetings against Coventry and Swindon to follow.

Representatives from the three armed forces will be attendance at Foxhall Stadium tonight to promote the home televised meeting against Swindon on Monday August 16 when the theme of the night will be the Help For Heroes charity.

Tonight’s likely line-ups

Ipswich: S.Nicholls, C.Slabon, D.King, A.Dryml, rider replacement for R.Miskowiak, D.Stachyra, L.Sundstrom.

Lakeside: L.Richardson, P.Ljung, K.Nieminen, J.Davidsson, A.Shields, P.Hurry, S.Robson.

WITH the production of a voucher from the Ipswich Evening Star children under 15 will gain free admission tonight if accompanied by a paying adult.