Speedway Premier League Play-Offs

Ipswich Witches 57, Somerset Rebels 39

THE Somerset rebels slumped to a crushing defeat at the hands of the Ipswich Witches on Thursday.

Ipswich’s Foxhall Stadium has not been a happy hunting ground for Somerset this year, having suffered varying degrees of defeat on each of their previous three visits to Suffolk - but any hopes the Rebels might have harboured of making it fourth time lucky disappeared as early as the opening race as it saw the withdrawal of Olly Allen with whiplash.

Ipswich seized the opportunity to ‘make hay’ and the opening half of the match was to see them build up an almost unassailable lead, they posted a further three maximum 5-1 race wins over the course of the next four heats - the only bright spot for the Rebels was Nick Morris’ second place in heat four.

By the time the riders came to the tapes for heat eight, Ipswich had opened up a 22 point lead over Somerset and were threatening to completely overwhelm the Rebels - but to their credit the Somerset riders refused to yield, Morris’ heat eight race win while on a tactical ride seemed to instil some belief in the side.

Ipswich were to extend that back out to 22 points with 5-1 in heat 11, but the small band of Somerset fans who made the long trip to Suffolk were given something to cheer about in the penultimate race when Aspgren and Kurtz ran in a maximum 5-1 heat win for the Rebels.

The containment of the Witches to an 18 point win could prove to be crucial come the final reckoning - should race points difference prove to be the final arbitrator to decide whether it is Somerset or Ipswich who will face Edinburgh in the Championship-deciding Play-Off Final.