REPORT: Spires slip to narrow Witches loss in thrill-a-minute tie

Oxford Spires slipped to their first defeat on Thursday evening in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership when Ipswich Witches grabbed a last race maximum to win 42-48.

Trailing by six points with only three heats remaining, Spires earned themselves an outside chance of keeping their 100 per cent win record intact with a remarkable Heat 14 maximum courtesy of Charles Wright and Rohan Tungate.

Up against the powerhouse pair of Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov, Spires Team Manager Peter Schroeck tracked Tungate and Chris Harris – who won a spectacular Heat 13.

Both Witches riders gated to confirm an Ipswich win, though, as Spires dropped their first points of the season.

Reacting to the result, Schroeck said he was proud of his side’s performance and thanked all supporters for their attendance.

“Of course we’re disappointed with the result,” said Schroeck. “We gave ourselves a real chance at the end and to just fall short isn’t what we wanted but we’ll pick ourselves up and move on. “Ipswich are a strong team and fair play to Ritchie, the riders and their supporters.

“The racing tonight was first class and it was great to see the terraces packed for what would’ve been a great meeting for the neutral.

“It was a blow to lose Lewi (Kerr) who is going for additional checks to try and get to the bottom of the issue – we’ll keep our fingers crossed for a positive outcome from that.”

Oxford Spires return to action next Thursday, April 18, away to Ipswich Witches in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership. Tapes-up is at 7.30pm.

Oxford Spires 42: Maciej Janowski 7, Charles Wright 7+1, Nicolai Klindt 3+1, Rohan Tungate 11+1, Chris Harris 8, Lewis Kerr 6, Ashton Boughen 0.

Ipswich Witches 48: Emil Sayfutdinov 11+2, Jordan Jenkins 5, Danny King 6+1, Adam Ellis 5, Jason Doyle 13+1, Keynan Rew 1+1, Dan Thompson 7.