South – East Div 1 .
Norwich 83
Dan Chambers 17 , Leigh Cossey 14 , Jason Barker 13 , Lee Grange 13 ,
Ian Grange 9 , Oliver Riley 8 , Gary Colby 6 , Alan Parkins 3 .
Ipswich 90
Jamie Chittock 18 , Lewis Roberts 16 , Joshua Brooke 15 , Richard Williason 13 ,
Daniel Pike 11 , Leon Mower 10 , Ashley Hill 4 , Charlie Rumbold 3 .
Ipswich travelled up the A14 to Norfolk for their top of the table clash with derby rivals Norwich knowing only a win would put themselves in with a chance of keeping their title dreams alive , but not only had they to win but to win by at least seven points which would give the Suffolk club a better aggregate score them Norwich .
Having already beaten Norwich twice this season they were hoping a third victory would be a memorable one and give them the platform to build on for the remainder of the season . With three seniors riders not available for this afternoon match it was left again for the Ipswich youngsters to come in a do the task in hand ,three under sixteen’s were called up in the shape of Ashley Hill, Lewis Roberts and Charlie Rumbold to take on a strong looking Norwich team .
Ipswich won the toss and decided to take the outside grids with Brooke /Mower ,Ipswich set about the job and going into the third lap an inside pass by Mower put the Suffolk pair in a commanding position sitting first and second. A 7 -3 looked on the card but Mower was caught by Cossey going into the third bend who seemed to push the Ipswich rider, Mower’s back wheel slid from under him leaving Cossey and team mate room to pass to claim a share of the spoils.
Heat two went to Norwich 6-4 to take a two point lead , heat three saw two exclusions one for each side , Barker held off Williamson 4-3 Norwich. Heat four saw Brooke/Roberts and with young Roberts off grid one he flew out the gate and his team mate Brooke was able to come round the Norwich pairing to secure an 7-3 in the Suffolk club favour to put Ipswich one point up. Heats five to eight were all shared ,in heat nine Ipswich had youngsters Hill/Roberts out only for Hill to be ordered back to the pits for not giving room to his opponent ,Norwich took full advanced winning 7-2 and went into the break four points up 45 – 41.
Ipswich were now looking at a mountain to climb ,they now needed to make up eleven points in the remaining nine heats. A tactical change in the opening heat when Roberts came in for Rumbold proved to be the right call, with partner Chittock they secured a 7-2 win after Parkins threw a chain and wasn’t able to finish so moving them one point in front a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Heat eleven was a drawn heat ,heat twelve gave Ipswich a three point lead when Chittock/Hill saw off Norwich’s Cossey /Colby 6-4 ,fourteen was shared.
Heat fifteen saw Ipswich captain Pike and young Roberts up against Grange /Parkins and with Pike putting Grange under pressure they headed into the first bend only for Grange to be excluded for a leg on Pike. The re-run saw the Ipswich team claim a 7-2 with the impressive Roberts winning his third heat of the afternoon moving them into an eight point lead. The Suffolk side were slowing putting their Norfolk neighbours under pressure and in the very next heat Cossey was excluded for not giving room to Brooke and though Barker managed to seperate the Suffolk riders a 6-3 moved Ipswich eleven points clear.
A change in heat seventeen with Roberts coming in for Hill to partner Pike with instructions just to sit a 5-5, Roberts showed his confidence ordering his captain to chase the front man while he looked after his man at the back. T this saw Ipswich enter the last heat only having to finish the heat and though losing the heat 7-3 the Suffolk side knew the job had been done .
This well earn victory won’t decide the league but has given the Suffolk side a massive step in the right direction to claim their first title. With Great Blakenham home and East London away to come this will go to the wire.