Ipswich Witches skipper Danny King looks ahead to the second leg of the Premiership final against Swindon Robins
To say we are disappointed we couldn't eke out a lead against Swindon for Thursday night's second leg at Blundsdon is an understatement.
When you ride a solid team like the Robins, you need everyone to be on it and everything to go your way, if you are going to gain a solid victory.
That didn't happen at Foxhall on Tuesday night and it was a shame.
We thought we were going to get off to the perfect 5-1 start, but that never materialised and a re-run of the race saw a 3-3.
Coupled with Cameron Heeps' coming together with Tobiasz Musielak that saw Cam excluded and a 4-2 to us turned into a 1-5 to them in another re-run and fine margins become big deficits.
Look, these aren't excuses. We weren't good enough to beat Swindon and I didn't have an especially good meeting.
It's just that you need it all to go for you in big finals against top sides.
But who knows?
Maybe, just maybe, everything will fall into place at Swindon.
Yes, I know it's a huge ask and everyone has already written us off, just like they did at the start of the season, just like they did before the Poole semi-final, first AND second legs.
Indeed, by all means write us off. It won't be the first time.
We are well used to other people's negativity.
But there is no negativity in our camp I can assure you. And Witches fans are right behind us.
We have coachloads of fantastic support heading west to Swindon and we are going to give it our utmost to bring the Premiership trophy home for them and us.
The Swindon track is a new shape, but we've all ridden there and we all like it.
Remember, we ran them close earlier in the season. And this is speedway, anything can happen.
Here's hoping.
It's been quite a season.
This is my last column of the year and hasn't the time flown by.
Swindon will be my last meeting of the year and I intend to spend a bit more time on the golf course and with the family.
Whatever happens it has been a great blast this year and I've been really proud to skipper this team.
The spirit has never waned, the effort has never been less than 100%.
OK, we haven't always got it right, but while there are five clubs sitting on their hands watching the play-off finals at this moment in time, we are in it!
The atmosphere at Foxhall Stadium has got better and better as the year has gone on.
The Ipswich Massif on the back straight have helped that tremendously, as their cheers and instrument playing spreads around the track.
It's a really great club to be part of at this moment in time and the future looks very bright.
A move up to the Premiership has been just what the doctor ordered for the club. Ipswich is a renowned top-flight speedway team. Look at the amount of fans at Foxhall in recent meetings. It just goes to show the interest.
Mike Bacon, who ghost-writes this for me, was telling me the EADT and Ipswich Star web audience for Tuesday night and the first leg against Swindon went through the roof, with thousands of views on all their speedway stories.
So what now?
Well, I might see you at the end-of-season party on Friday night at Ufford Park, if not have a great break from the sport, a great Christmas and hopefully I'll see you in March.
I thank you for reading this column. I hope you have enjoyed it.
It's been a cracking season for Ipswich Witches and their fans. Oh, and don't forget to catch up with me and Ritchie's podcast here.
But can I just make one last request?
Please, a 10-point win for us at Swindon on Thursday!
DANNY
AS TOLD TO MIKE BACON
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