The Evening Star Ipswich Witches have reignited their 2008 playoff challenge with a tremendous 41-49 victory at Eastbourne on Saturday evening.

Rory Schelin’s addition to the line up was an instant success as he scored a valuable 10+1 to help his new team edge their way to their fourth away win of the season and their second victory at Eastbourne in 2008. It was a close encounter at times, with the lead changing hands 3 times before the Witches could secure the advantage. In the end it was Ipswich who made the most of the 6 heat advantages they earned during the course of the meeting.

After a shared first heat, Steve Johnston got his evening off to a great start with a win in the reserves heat. Chris Schramm took third after James Brundle’s bike broke down. It was to be a bumper night for the veteran Australian, who went on to record two more valuable heat victories. However, the next three heats saw the Eagles claw back the lead by two points. They managed a 4-2 in heat 3 from Adam Shields and Lewis Bridger before drawing the next race with Edward Kennett out front. Sheilds and Bridger again got the better of the Ipswich pair in heat 5 to leave the score at 16-14. It was in heat 6 that Steve Johnston rose to the occasion and led home his fellow Australian Schlein for a great 5-1. The heat was re-run after Cameron Woodward fell on the opening lap, and both Australian’s got ahead of Eagles star Lee Richardson to take the maximum.

Hampel and Miskowiak extended the lead in the next race with a 4-2 before two further drawn heats left the Witches 4 points ahead at the interval. The Eagles came out of break fired up and immediately levelled the scores with a 5-1 from Richardson and Woodward, but it was to prove short lived as in the next race Tobi Kroner made a great start while returning star Swiderski kept Kennett at bay to record a superb 5-1. The Witches were again ahead, and would remain so for the rest of the evening.

Heat 12 was again drawn before the Witches took a 4-2 advantage in heat 13. Swiderski led home Richardson in style while Schlein got the better of Kennett. Team manager Pete Simmons decided to bring in Johnston for Miskowiak in heat 14, and the Witches captain showed great pedigree to win the heat, while Chris Schramm sealed third place ahead of Lewis Bridger to confirm the victory on the night. Shields fell in the last heat, and Richardson won the re-run, but it was nothing more than a consolation at that stage as the 3 points were already safe.

The Witches now face basement side Wolverhampton in a must win clash at Foxhall stadium on Thursday August 21st.

Eastbourne Eagles 41:
L.Richardson 12, C.Woodward 3+2, A.Shields 11, L.Bridger 3+1,      E.Kennett 6, S.Gustafsson 6,  J.Brundle 0.

Ipswich Witches 49:
P.Swiderski 10+2,  T.Kroner 7+1, J.Hampel 8, R.Miskowiak 1,           R.Schlein 10+1, S.Johnston 10+1, C.Schramm 3+1