Premiership Grand Final
Ipswich Witches 54
Sheffield Tigers 36
The Ipswich Witches have a first leg lead of 18 points to defend in the second leg of the Grand Final at Owlerton on Thursday, after a late meeting flurry saw them pile on the points.
Two maximum heat advantages for the Witches, in heats 13 and 15, from Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov proved crucial.
The opening heat was pulled back after Sayfutdinov fell on the first bend. The Witches star won the rerun from Robert Lambert and Erik Riss, as the home side went into an early lead.
Sheffield's Connor Mountain passed Danyan Hume for a win in the next and with Jason Edwards passing Joe Thompson the visitors had levelled.
Danny King and Keynan Rew then woke Foxhall up as they celebrated a 5-1 over Josh Pickering and Chris Holder in heat three.
There was drama in the next with teammates Hume and Jason Doyle colliding in a tight first bend. In the rerun Doyle robustly passed Richard Lawson and with Hume holding off Edwards, for a point, the Witches were six up.
The Tigers reduced that deficit in heat five, with a maximum that brought them within two points.
Sayfutdinov passed Lawson for the win in heat six and Riss finished third with Mountain's machine need extinguishing after catching fire!
Doyle won the next, but Hume, riding out of his skin to pass Pickering for second spot, fell shortly after he was re-passed. The Witches advantage remained at just four.
After a share of the spoils in the eighth the home side secured a two 4-2 advantages to extend their lead to eight points, before Doyle got the better of Lambert, in a drawn heat eleven.
King and Hume then got a maximum in the next to extend the Witches lead to twelve before Doyle and Sayfutdinov became the heats 13 and 15 heroes.
Ipswich Witches: Emil Sayfutdinov13+2, Erik Riss 5, Danny King 10, Keynan Rew 5+1, Jason Doyle 15, Danyon Hume 5+1, Joe Thompson 1+1
Sheffield Tigers: Robert Lambert 9, Kyle Howarth 3+2, Chris Holder 2+1, Josh Pickering 8, Richard Lawson 6, Connor Mountain 3, Jason Edwards 5
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