The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches return to ROWE Motor Oil Premiership action on Thursday with a trip to top-flight newcomers Oxford.
The Witches have started the season strongly with two wins from two in the league at Foxhall and they have already tasted victory on the road with a win at Leicester in the first leg of their Knockout Cup quarter-final first leg tie. Thursday’s test promises to be a tough one with both teams yet to taste defeat in 2024.
The visitors are at full strength for this fixture, and it is a place Jordan Jenkins knows well with the youngster having ridden for Oxford in previous seasons.
Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches team manager Ritchie Hawkins gives us his pre-match thoughts…
“It is our first trip to Oxford for a very long time and I’m delighted to see them back in the league and doing so well since they re-opened a couple of seasons ago. It will be a new test for us, they have built a very good side and have started the season well, they look a very strong side. After winning at Leicester, I said to the boys if we can win there, we can win anywhere. We have shown our own strengths at the start of the season, and we will hope to carry that on at Oxford.
“It will be a new track for some of the boys and unusually in speedway the lesser experienced riders will have probably done more laps at the track than the more experienced guys. Jordan has raced at Oxford many times and hopefully his knowledge of the circuit can help us. I’m sure the top guys will quickly adapt to a different track and Keynan has the experience of learning new tracks last year, so it is another for him and hopefully he picks it up quickly because it could be an important role he has now he is down at number six. We have got a great bond going already throughout the team and I’m sure we will all work together to help each other out to get our heads round the track quickly.
“Last week we lost a true Ipswich legend in John Louis. To start a career so late and achieve so much is remarkable but to be so highly regarded by so many is even more remarkable. John set the standard for future Witches to follow, and we will continue to strive and achieve these standards.”
Team Line ups
OXFORD: 1. Maciej Janowski 8.00 2. Charles Wright 6.20 3. Nicolai Klindt 6.68 4. Rohan Tungate 6.63 5. Chris Harris 6.89 © 6. Lewis Kerr 5.32 7. Ashton Boughen (RS). Team Manager: Peter Schroeck
IPSWICH: 1. Emil Sayfutdinov 10.22 2. Jordan Jenkins 4.37 3. Danny King 7.28 © 4. Adam Ellis 5.67 5. Jason Doyle 9.12 6. Keynan Rew 4.00 7. Dan Thompson (RS). Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins
Words by Henry Chard – Image courtesy of British Speedway
