Ipswich Witches boss Chris Louis calls on fans to ‘life us again’ ahead of KO Cup champions hosting Belle Vue in Premiership play-offs
Ipswich Witches owner Chris Louis says his side were lifted by the fans in the KO Cup final – and he hopes for more of the same on Thursday, as Belle Vue visit Foxhall Heath in the Premiership play-off, semi-final, first leg (7.30pm).
Witches fans made their voices heard throughout the evening before pouring onto the centre green as their heroes lifted the KO Cup after victory over Sheffield Tigers last Thursday. It was the club’s first major trophy in 25 years.
Now Louis and his team are hungry for more – with champions Belle Vue standing in their way of reaching the play-off final.
“Last week was great, the celebrations, the way the crowd were throughout the meeting helped carry us along,” Louis said. “The fans can lift us again.
“The noise, the atmosphere was unbelievable. I haven’t seen and watched or felt such celebrations since I lifted the trophy in 1998.”
Louis admits that even his own riders were taken aback with the outpouring of joy seen at the Stadium last Thursday. And he knows it has left a mark on all of them.
“I was watching the faces of our riders when the fans came onto the centre green, and you could tell a few of them were surprised to see how much it meant to everyone,” Louis said.
“That night will sit with them, and they are under no illusions now why we do what we do at Ipswich – and why people come to watch and support us.”
The Witches face a stiff challenge against Belle Vue if they are to reach the final, where they would race either Sheffield or Wolverhampton, having not beaten the Manchester outfit in four outings this season. And they will have to do it without star man Jason Doyle, who crashed heavily at the weekend in Denmark.
Not that Louis has ruled Doyle out of this season’s play-offs.
“Jason is a waiting game,” he said.
“He needs to feel comfortable and be ready to ride. He has no broken bones, all I will say is, he’s not ruled out for the season, but he is ruled out for this week.
“It will be a tough couple of fixtures, we know that. But we are riding well, are confident and we will look to build up a lead on Thursday.”
Chris Harris will guest for Doyle, the multi-British champion and former Witch is a rider who always gives it his all, while Joe Thompson comes back into the Ipswich side as the Rising Star.
Belle Vue include Grand Prix ace, Dan Bewley and flying Aussie, Brady Kurtz in their line-up, but they also have injuries, with Charles Wright out after a crash in Poland, although Norick Blodorn does return to the side – he was missing from the Aces 1-7 for Monday night’s postponed first leg.
Teams:
Ipswich: E Sayfutdinov, D Hume, D King, E Riss, C Harris, K Rew, J Thompson.
Belle Vue: B Kurtz, R/R, J Lidsey, T Brennan, D Bewley, N Blodorn, C Bailey.
Admission: Adults (17+) £22, concessions (65+) £20, children (16 and under) free, car parking is also free.
IPSWICH WITCHES v BELLE VUE ACES, Premiership play-off semi-final, first leg, Foxhall Stadium, Thursday, September 21, 7.30pm.
