Eagles fall under Witches spell again

10:53pm Thursday 15th May 2008

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Ipswich Witches 52 Eastbourne Eagles 41

Eastbourne began a hectic schedule of three Elite League speedway meetings in three days with a defeat at Foxhall Stadium Ipswich last night.

After going behind in heat two they pulled level with a 5-1 from Scott Nicholls and Lewis Bridger in race five, but once they went behind again in heat seven they were unable to get themselves back into the meeting.

It was the third consecutive victory for Ipswich as they continue their resurgence but with the rider replacement facility for the injured Lee Richardson accruing only five points it was a second disappointing night in three weeks for the Eagles in Suffolk.

They lost 51-39 on April 24 in the A fixture, and were not helped on this occasion when Nicholls stopped in heat ten on the first lap when a camera flashed on the fourth bend.

The race continued as the other three riders were unaware of what Nicholls thought was a stop light in an incident reminiscent of the Ipswich-based rider's slow down in a World Cup final at Poole a few years back.

Piotr Swiderski was leading race six on the second lap when he hit a hole and spun round on the second circuit. Edward Kennett was not far behind the flying Pole, and he did exceptionally well to hop off his bike and avoid a sickening crash. Simon Gustafsson also earned the praise of the referee for laying down his bike before making contact with the stricken home rider.

In the re-run Kennett made the best start but his cut-out came adrift temporary coming out of the second bend leaving Robert Miskowiak to burst through and take a winning lead.

Jarek Hampel took an early lead in heat seven, with Swiderski going round the outside of Kennett on the fourth bend. He then took on Cameron Woodward and they went tight into the third and fourth bends on the second left before the Eastbourne man lost partial control and took the ground of Swiderski with both riders taking a hefty tumble.

Woodward was excluded from the re-run with Swiderski forced to switch machines for the re-run. But he was up to speed to get the better of Kennett on the second turn to follow him Hampel to put Ipswich four points ahead.

Chris Schramm recorded one of his best ever Ipswich race victories in heat eight when he beat Lewis Bridger, but with Robert Miskowiak missing the start and tailing in last the home lead remained at just four points.

Kennett won heat nine by a country mile, before the controversy involving Nicholls when he was dicing with Miskowiak on the third and fourth bends.

Nicholls was out again in heat 11 and he had to fight off a determined first lap challenge from Swiderski in a full-throttle four laps that was won by the fast-gating Hampel.

Schramm continued his good form when he followed home the inside-gating Kroner in race 12 to virtually clinch victory for the Witches.

Nicholls rode for double points in heat 13 winning in style, but with Kennett taking a tumble before re-mounting on the second lap the two Ipswich riders filled the minor places.

The Witches banged home a their fourth 5-1 of the night in heat 14 before Nicholls won the final race with Hampel suffering machine problems on the opening bend. Heat four did not produce one race winner.

Ipswich: R Miskowiak 11, P Swiderski 10(2), J Hampel 10(1), C Schramm 8(2), S Johnston 8(1), T Kroner 5. Rider replacement for C Louis.

Eastbourne: S Nicholls 15(1), L Bridger 10(1), E Kennett 7(1), C Woodward 5, S Gustafsson 4(1), N Simmonds 0. Rider replacement for L Richardson.