Ipswich V Somerset (plc) - Thursday, 11 April 2013 @ 19:30

[Super Blue 616]

I am a big enough person to wholeheartedly admit that Baldyman was totally wrong with his prediction this evening !

 

It was a good all round effort with in my opinion the only disappointing rider for me being Ben Barker , he should certainly be at least challenging for the lead in every race and getting double figures at home from 5 rides .

 

I wasn't disappointed with Makinen because I didn't expect anything from him , I'm sorry but he simply isn't good enough and has to go , averaging about a fifth of a point per race from a no2 will get the team nowhere fast . Enough said on him I think .

 

A good win , I'm glad to say !

[flagrag 704]

Really surprised at Makinen as at Leicester he looked a good rider at home and was really good out of the gate, I hear he has had some personal problems off track so maybe that is affecting his racing this year. But have to say I would have expected more

[Baldyman 6,243]

Must admit I was wrong but not about Jari. He was practicing on his own after meeting and still looked very very slow. Doyle is awesome round our track, I wonder if he became our numbers 1 that we could somehow ruin him too. The rebels riders certainly had troubles staying on their bikes, well some did anyway. Happy to win but a strange meeting early on with 5 1 for fun.

[2ndbendbeerhut 1,781]

Just read the updates from tonight and funny how views of proceedings are different depending on track view. Barker and makinen are cause for concern.

 

Barker seems to be making wrong moves on track, needs to stick to inside line early in meeting.

Makinen's point was vital in end, seems low on confidence.

Tungate went about his business and great pass on Davies.

Risager started off superb, only moan is he should be winning heat 14.

Lanham seemed to be tiring still possibly having effects from his couple of falls last week.

Ellis was superb and rode some excellent 1st corners, another race win this time in heat 14, also paid win in heat 2.

Heels also excellent but will be feeling 2nd hand tomorrow after heat 8 crash.

 

For the Rebels

Doyle finally dropped points at Foxhall when EF at start line. Quick but looked on edge.

Davies looked quick but finished night early after t boning heeps in heat 8

Grajzonek tried all he could to pass in heat 7, thing is it was for 2nd over teammate and nearly let Ellis past!

Newman had customary fall.

Morris a little below par but only because he only got 2 race wins.

Perry scored 4 but only beat a struggling Heeps , rest came from lack of finishers.

Nielsen only completed 4 laps out of his 4 races. 3 falls and tape exclusion. Many Witches fans wanted him in side this year but lived up to reputation that he crashes a lot.

[Roger Jacobs 554]

Excellent victory by the Sackers Witches, who confounded me too with a genuinely determined display (aptly described by Jaybea as showing real "gusto").

 

If they can win with Barker only scoring 8, then that's not a bad effort. Last season, especially after conceding a 1-5 in Heat 1 they would have struggled.

 

Overall, the Witches not only rode with gusto, but they rode sensibly and within themselves, whereas, in the cold light of day, a couple of the Rebels were trying too hard.

Davies has been in great form, but has not had a happy time at Foxhall. In Heat 1 he was perilously close to the fence a couple of times and when he tried to pass Heeps in 8, he hit the first bend way, way, way too quickly. It was a fearsome fall, because he was thrown hard onto the track, but hopefully he's only shaken up.

Nielsen, who everyone was really looking forward to watching, never lasted a whole race, and got himself in a tangle several times. He rode well to lead Heat 11, and tried to get in Lanham's way to bring Doyle through - but ended up making an awful hash of the first bend - thankfully Lanham had chosen an outside line.

Of the other Rabbles: Perry worked really hard for his points and produced good passes of Makinen and Heeps (I think he shocked Heeps in 12 by finding some real drive on the 4th bend, 3rd lap). Grajczonek had an ordinary meeting. Newman never has a consistent night at Foxhall - he was passed in fine style by Heeps in 10, and then fell trying a big outside run when chasing, and was also passed by Ellis in 14. Morris didn't get going in Heat 4, and was definitely behind Heeps when Nielsen fell - although challenging a few seconds later when Dan Holt realised the red lights had to go on. After that Morris looked really quick, but when you get to 13 & 15, someone has to come third and last. He was off gate 4 both times - and that outside gate still looks a tough draw (16 points tonight). Doyle really is rather good at Foxhall! I'm sure it was a chain that snapped at the start in Heat 5 - he definitely went over to gate 4 after the race and picked something up. As for the last heat, you could see Doyle's frustration after the race - should he have tried to hold Tungate up to get Morris through? We will never know.

 

For the Sackers Witches:

Barker - disappointing, if truth be told - didn't look quick. In the "interval" after Haet 8, he was interviewed by Kevin Long and said he's happy and really pleased to be at Ipswich - just needs to get himself sorted out. Maybe the return to the SBA tomorrow will be a kick-start for him.

Makinen - poor bloke is playing catch-up already - I don't know what to say. He's sure to be given more chances - so hopefully he can pick up some points at the SBA tomorrow and against Scunthorpe next week - otherwise, the pressure really will be on to find a replacement.

Tungate - excellent. Named as Man Of the Match by sponsors Collier & Catchpole, and rightly so. Such a good motorcyclist, with a very good racing brain too. I spoke to him afterwards and he knew what was needed in the final heat - he said that he settled for second place and just concentrated on that. Works really hard on the first bend, and also produced a measured pass of Davies in 5.

Risager - 8 from 4 at home is fine. A couple of good heat wins, and also looked determined when behind, trying different lines.

Lanham - ditto above. Beaten on the line by Morris in 13, which will have annoyed him - another bit of a muddle while Barker was looking to help. I didn't see it, but apparently the hand he hurt at Soemrset is still a bit of a mess.

Ellis - what a talented lad! Had to work really hard in Heat 2 when in second place, with Nielsen buzzing around. Good third place in Heat 11 (off gate 4 and ahead of Nielsen). Topped it with a clean-as-a-whistle pass of Newman in 14, when the pressure was on. Amazing to think he's been riding competitive speedway for less than a year - and has barely any PL experience.

Heeps - another composed and clever young rider. Not spectacular, but quietly scoring good points. He may move to #2, but I'm sure he can take it in his stride - literally bounced back from being carted-off by Davies to get a valuable point in Heat 10.

 

Well deserved victry for the Witches, who showed the overall determination that was often missing last year, and were rewarded by riding their luck and earning the points with some quality and thoughtful racing.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Dave Love Speedway

[LagutaRacingFan 1,931]

Must admit I found it strange that the Witches released an out and out Number 1 in Dakota North and signed Ben Barker to try and fill Dakota's big boots.

[Badge 5,125]

Must admit I found it strange that the Witches released an out and out Number 1 in Dakota North and signed Ben Barker to try and fill Dakota's big boots.

Well I know that he is obviously your "new GOD" but even he couldn't ride for 2 Thursday teams!!!!

[LagutaRacingFan 1,931]

Well I know that he is obviously your "new GOD" but even he couldn't ride for 2 Thursday teams!!!!

 

Pretty sure the Panthers are a Friday night team but It's my understanding Dakota wanted to go into the Elite League full-time but if he was being offered the money Barker is on then he might have changed his mind.

 

Back to this match, I think Somerset are the better side as they have had a bad night yet only lost by 7 points while the Witches were flying, This is the sign of a good side to me.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Jepsen Jensen Fan Club

[Badge 5,125]

Pretty sure the Panthers are a Friday night team but It's my understanding Dakota wanted to go into the Elite League full-time but if he was being offered the money Barker is on then he might have changed his mind.

 

Back to this match, I think Somerset are the better side as they have had a bad night yet only lost by 7 points while the Witches were flying, This is the sign of a good side to me.

Oh have they changed nights :blink: well it seems you have answered the point you made, that's obviously why he wasn't our No 1 he wanted EL

 

 

 

I really hope that Alex and Stefan are ok.

Edited April 11, 2013 by Badge

[Ipswich Jules 192]

Well its not easy being an optimist when being a Witches fan is it? Season after season now for too many years to remember, the Witches teams have been put together with very little imagination and real knowledge of what a good team is and so therefore have floundered in the lower reaches of the elite league and now the premier league. On paper it looks like a hiding coming up tonight and personally thats exactly what I expect. If thats being a pessimist so be it but in actual fact its just being realistic.

 

Looks like Aljack was wrong...

 

Even the name is a poorly disguised anagram!

Edited April 12, 2013 by Ipswich Jules

[Roland 63]

Only two possible winners here..........Somerset or the weather! Hope there is an improvement and I'm wrong.

I'll admit it........I was way off the mark! Excellent effort, just a couple of comments really, well seven!

1. Think Barker is in a hole......GM in one bike JRM in another, when thats sorted, he'll be OK, you dont become that slow for no reason.

2. Jari, sorry but its not getting any better, very slow.

3. Tungate, super balance and throttle control, just getting better and better

4. Risager, showed signs of improvement, long may it continue.

5. Leigh, good, slightly off the pace, will be OK when he moves to 3

6. Ellis, sensational and so so fast, said it before with time will lose grasstrack anomalies.

7. Heeps, superb, hes altogether a different rider this year.

 

Sorry to go on.....over and out!!

[Baldyman 6,243]

Let's not get too over excited about 1 meeting, but on a positive note, get shot of jari and replace him with someone that can score 4 to 6 points a meeting and we do have a very solid team that could reach play offs.

[Roger Jacobs 554]

Pretty much down to 1 rider that we missed out on a point tonight and considering the amount of laps he's put in at Ipswich in the past it is really quite embarrassing. If Rye get a point up at our place tomorrow then it's pretty much bye bye league cup but that could all depend on how Alex is.

 

I wouldn't say just one rider.

 

The Rabbles played their part in a very entertaining meeting. Both teams were clearly fired-up, but it was the Witches who were much more composed in their approach.

 

Pretty sure the Panthers are a Friday night team but It's my understanding Dakota wanted to go into the Elite League full-time but if he was being offered the money Barker is on then he might have changed his mind.

 

Back to this match, I think Somerset are the better side as they have had a bad night yet only lost by 7 points while the Witches were flying, This is the sign of a good side to me.

 

The Witches were not flying - only 8 from Barker, and Makinen really struggling. As already pointed out, the 6 artifical joker points made it look a lot closer than it was.

 

From my perspective, the Rabbles were comparatively disappointing last night, and didn't really function as a team. The Witches showed a real edge to their performance that was missing too much last season, coupled with a maturity to their racing - if they can hang on to that combination, they will be a good team in a competitive league.

Edited April 12, 2013 by Dave Love Speedway

[spanner47 336]

My 1st meeting of the season, and really enjoyed it. A superb track with good passing lines. After decades of neglect the stadium is taking shape, should look really good when it's all finished. Very happy with No's 3-7, and i'm always told, class is permanent, form is temporary, so i'm sure when Ben sort his engines out, we'll have a damn good team.

[dontforgetthefueltapsbruv 10,706]

Let's not get too over excited about 1 meeting, but on a positive note, get shot of jari and replace him with someone that can score 4 to 6 points a meeting and we do have a very solid team that could reach play offs.

Why not get excited over 1 meeting?

 

There were plenty of doom merchants after 1 poorer one.