The Ipswich ‘Tru7 Group’ Witches’ got off to a good start in last night's ROWE Motor Oil Premiership clash at Oxford only to see the meeting abandoned after six heats due to rain.

With a bad weather forecast predicted for the evening, the Suffolk side arrived at a dry Oxford Stadium for the track walk, and it was hoped the meeting could be completed, but a decision was made by the referee with Ipswich leading by 10 points.

Light rain began to come down as the racing got underway and heat one was stopped as Rohan Tungate hit the deck on the opening lap as he tried to avoid going into the back of teammate Charles Wright. Tungate was excluded and the re-run was won by Emil Sayfutdinov as the Witches struck a heat advantage.

Keynan Rew led heat two, but Erik Riss blasted round him on the last bend of the last lap for a 3-3.

Adam Ellis was a clear winner in a shared heat three, then the away side struck another 2-4 in heat four as Sayfutdinov won and a mistake by Ashton Boughen allowed Rew through for the point which gave the visitors a 10-14 lead.

The rain was still coming down and it was Ipswich who were quicker from the gate and attacking conditions better. Ellis cleared off for another win in heat five as his side extended the lead with a heat advantage.

Wright was a faller in heat six and was excluded. In the re-run, Sayfutdinov won and Rew passed Tungate for the maximum putting Ipswich 13-23 ahead.

The meeting was then stopped for track work to take place and, after much debate between the two camps, the referee decided to abandon the meeting, only for the rain to then ease off on what was a frustrating night for the Witches.

Team manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “Clearly, we are really disappointed with the match being abandoned. We had started superbly again, and the boys looked determined and quick and had clearly got ourselves in a position to get another victory over Oxford.

“I was disappointed with how the rain-off came about. It started raining heavier in heats five and six and it gave Oxford a chance to hold the meeting up and then, after they had finished grading the track, it was obviously in a very poor state.

"It was ironic that five minutes after the referee called the meeting off, the rain stopped and maybe it was a missed opportunity to get the track work done and get the meeting completed.”

Ipswich, who remain top of the table, will have to travel back to Oxford later in the season for a re-staging of the meeting.

Hawkins' men are next in action when they host the Leicester Lions at Foxhall Stadium on Thursday night in a Premiership clash. 

OXFORD 13: Rohan Tungate 1, Charles Wright 2, Lewis Kerr 2, Maciej Janowski 3+1, Chris Harris © 2, Erik Riss 3, Ashton Boughen (RS) 0. Team Manager: Peter Schroeck

IPSWICH 23: Jason Doyle R/R, Dan Thompson (RS) 2, Adam Ellis 6, Norick Blödorn (G) 0, Emil Sayfutdinov © 9, Keynan Rew 5+1, Jordan Jenkins 1+1. Team Manager: Ritchie Hawkins

REFEREE: C. Turnbull