UNDER-strength Ipswich Evening Star Witches crashed to a heavy defeat 63-29 at Wolverhampton last night. With Zibi Suchecki ruled out through injury, the Witches were forced to use rider replacement for the Pole, while former Wolverhampton track record holder, David Norris, was called up to cover for Mark Loram.

UNDER-strength Ipswich Evening Star Witches crashed to a heavy defeat 63-29 at Wolverhampton last night.

With Zibi Suchecki ruled out through injury, the Witches were forced to use rider replacement for the Pole, while former Wolverhampton track record holder, David Norris, was called up to cover for Mark Loram.

The Foxhall side were also without Tobias Kroner, absent on continental duty, so Chris Schramm came in to replace the German.

Their hopes of victory with their patched-up outfit always looked slim, but their chances of taking the bonus point were dealt a devastating blow when Norris pulled up at the back of heat one and was forced to withdraw from the meeting on the advice of the track

doctor, apparently still suffering from the effects of a recent spill.

Wolves took a 5-1 in that opening heat through the impressive pairing of David Howe and Peter Karlsson and then repeated the dose in the reserves race through former Witch Carl Wilkinson and Magnus Karlsson.

Trailing by 20 points after six heats the Witches introduced Chris Louis for a double-point tactical ride and although the Ipswich

skipper gated, he lost out to Lindgren on the pits bend.

The battling Schramm held off Wilkinson's challenge, before the Wolves man was forced to retire with machine problems and Louis' double points gave the Witches their first heat advantage of the night.

In the following race, Howe, Magnus Karlsson and Jansson were three abreast down the back straight, but Howe kept his nerve to charge through on the third turn and emerge for a comfortable

victory.

Heat nine saw the Witches gain their first heat win of the night after Miskowiak rode a hard first turn and also provided Billy Hamill's only defeat by an opponent. Wolves responded with successive 5-1s in the next two heats.

Heat 11 was re-run after Jansson slid off on the first turn and stayed down.

The Swede was excluded from the re-run where Lindgren took a comfortable victory and Wilkinson held off the best efforts of Schramm.

Jansson and Schramm combined to give the visitors a surprise 5-1 in heat 14, but Lindgren and Hamill took maximum points for the home side in the nominated riders' race.

Wolves had three riders unbeaten by an opponent and the Suffolk side could find no match for the home side's top-end strength.

Louis, Jansson and Schramm battled bravely but the loss of Norris proved too much to overcome.

n There will be a bouncy castle and bucking bronco at Foxhall Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday, May 7, when the Evening Star Witches entertain Peterborough.

Children who dress up can have a free go and there will be prizes for them and adults.

After the meeting some of the riders will be also test their skills on the bronco.