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Witches boss hopeful of Knockout Cup final place

Ritchie Hawkins wearing a black, woolly hat and a black padded zip-up jacket with Ipswich Witches insignia on the chest.Getty Images

Ritchie Hawkins is confident his Ipswich side can come out on top at Foxhall

Cleah Hetherington
BBC Radio Suffolk

Ipswich Witches are hopeful of overturning a first-leg deficit when they face King's Lynn Stars at Foxhall on Thursday with a place in the Knockout Cup final at stake.

The Suffolk side lost Monday's away leg 48-42, meaning they have to win by more than six points to progress to the final.

The Witches are still missing key riders Jason Doyle and Dan Thompson who are both injured.

Despite that, team manager Ritchie Hawkins is feeling confident, telling BBC Radio Suffolk: "Overall for the tie, six points down at home, you'd like to think you could bring that back.

"I mean, we've obviously already beaten them by more than that this year so we're not in a terrible position."

Rider replacement will operate for former world champion Doyle, who is still recovering from a dislocated hip, while Hawkins said Danyon Hume will come in as a guest for Thompson.

"We know Danyon well, we know he can do well at Ipswich. He's had a few meetings there this year now so hopefully it's time for him to step back up to the form we know he can show," he said.

Danyon Hume on a speedway bike and wearing Ipswich Witches kevlars and glovesGetty Images

Danyon Hume will guest for Dan Thompson

Witches promoter, Chris Louis, said the team had learned lessons from losing to Leicester at Foxhall last month so would be tough to beat but he acknowledged The Stars should not be underestimated.

"They've got a Grand Prix rider (Jan Kvěch) at reserve who scored 18 points for them (on Monday in the first leg) so that's always going to be tough to battle, but I think we can pull that back."

A win for the Witches would see them make the Knockout Cup final for the third year in a row.

They lifted the trophy in 2023, beating Sheffield Tigers 97-83 on aggregate, but an injury-depleted side lost out to the same opposition last year.

Hawkins added: "The boys are very determined to get it back this year and I know if we can get through Thursday, we'll be favourites with a full team going into the final - so it's a big, big night."

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