Ipswich Witches stretched their lead at the top of the Premiership with a 53-37 victory over Wolverhampton at Foxhall Stadium.

The Suffolk side showed no mercy to a Wolves team who were hampered by the withdrawal of Steve Worrall after just one ride. Coupled with the fact Wolves were already missing Ryan Douglas, it all proved too much for the midlanders.

HOW IT ALL UNFOLDED AT FOXHALL

Not that the home fans cared less as they cheered their team onto another win with the play-offs ever closing in.

While Jason Doyle enjoyed another unbeaten night, it was the reserves, Danyon Hume and Aaron Summers who impressed for the home side, winning four races between them.

Indeed, every Witch, bar Paul Starke, saw the chequered flag in what turned into a comfortable victory.

The expected rain throughout the day didn't arrive in Suffolk and indeed the track was being watered at 4pm!

Doyle shot from the outside gate in heat one to win well in a very quick time and the Witches took an early lead in the next with Hume and Summers gating to a 5-1 maximum.

Wolves were dealt a blow with Worrall's withdrawn from the meeting with a back injury, but the midland side hit straight back with a 5-1 of their own in heat three to level the scores up.

It remained 12-12 after racing four, Nick Morris winning his second race on the bounce, as Sam Masters won the next. Starke and Drew Kemp passed and re-passed in another drawn heat six, before the Witches got themselves back in front, Summers again impressing with Troy Batchelor alongside him.

One heat later the Witches were suddenly eight up, Summers again winning, with Hume in second.

It was 28-20 to the Witches as King bravely passed Morris on the outside on lap three of heat nine, with Rohan Tungate winning his first race of the night.

Doyle made it three out of three as Ipswich's lead stretched to 12 and victory was closing in. However, a tactical ride from Morris, alongside Masters, reduced the deficit to eight once more at 37-29.

There were four heats to go and King won heat 12, with Luke Becker passing the fast-starting Hume on the run-in.

The Witches were almost home and that was confirmed when Batchelor and Doyle hammered home the Foxhall side's fourth 5-1 of the night.


Ipswich: 1. Jason Doyle (3,3,3,2*) =11+1; 2. Paul Starke (0,0,1) = 1; 3. Danny King (1,2,1,3) =7; 4. Rohan Tungate (0,1*,3,1) =5+1; 5. Troy Batchelor (2,2*,1,3,3) =11+1; 6. Aaron Summers (2*,3,3,0,3,0) =11+1; 7. Danyon Hume (3,1*,2*,1) =7+2.

Wolverhampton: 1. Sam Masters (1*,3,2*,1) =7+2; 2. Steve Worrall (2, withdrawn)= 2; 3. Luke Becker (2*,1,2,2,2.2) =11+1; 4. R/R; 5. Nick Morris (3,3,2,0,3,0,1*) =12+1; 6. Drew Kemp (0,1*,0,1,0,) =2+1; 7. Leon Flint (1,0,0,0,2,0,0) =3

*bonus point

Heat details

1. Doyle, Worrall, Masters, Starke 55.9 3-3

2. Hume, Summers, Flint, Kemp 57.4 8-4

3. Morris, Becker, King, Tungate 57.4 9-9

4. Morris, Batchelor, Hume, Flint 57.2 12-12

5. Masters, King, Tungate, Flint 57.7 15-15

6. Doyle, Morris, Kemp, Starke 56.6 18-18

7. Summers, Batchelor, Becker, Kemp 57.3 23-19

8. Summers, Hume, Kemp, Flint 57.7 28-20

9. Tungate, Flint, King, Morris 57.7 32-22

10. Doyle, Becker, Starke, Kemp 57.3 36-24

11. Morris (Tac ride), Masters, Batchelor, Summers 57.7 37-29

12. King, Becker, Hume, Flint 58.1 41-31

13. Batchelor, Doyle, Masters, Morris 57.8 46-32

14. Summers, Becker, Tungate, Flint 58.0 50-34

15. Batchelor, Becker, Morris, Summers 58.0 53-37

Witches 3pts. Wolves 0pts.


Top Witch: Aaron Summers: 3 wins from reserve made a huge difference to the score.


Premiership table

Top 4 qualify for play-offs, first v fourth, second v third, winners in the final.

Team P Pts

Ipswich 17 37

Wolves 16 30

Belle Vue 14 29

Shefffield 13 27

K Lynn 15 18

P'boro 15 10