GeneralMelchett

The problem with strong top ends as I think the witches found out last year is they have to perform each week if they don’t then they are vulnerable - Mountain looked good at Ipswich in a couple of heats last week and did his job today as well - but let’s see how the Tigers do at home - can see this tie going either way but we all know what happened last season in the final! Both J Holder and Woffinden will score heavily and they others can get this to 50+

They’ve largely cut cash out of foootball now - my son is in Edinburgh and I went along to a Hearts match and it was e-ticket - scan your barcode to get in! I suspect speedway will continue with cash for now! having decided not to go to Belle Vue today I might try for this tonight on the live stream - if the weather holds then I might try for the return leg of the Tigers v Aces on Thursday - a shame the days of two meetings in a day are now done - happy memory of travelling up and down the A12 for Arena / Lakeside v Ipswich to huge crowds over the Easter break in years gone by!

Snake still closed - was thinking of trying to get to this but it’s as someone else said a dreadful day for rain - raining right now in Sheff

I think away from home they intend for Ellis to be at 4 - of course come first average changes Ellis may well be at no 3 but let’s see! I still agree having the big two in 13 is a must!

ooops duplicated!

I am glad that others agree as I felt WTF when i read it. Having analysed it a bit I sort of understood where he was coming from but its also about neutralising the oppositions top 2 - he did highlight (indirectly) what was was an actual weakness as such for the Witches last year in that they were often vulnerable in heats 12 and 14 but that was more about a rider not riding to expectation at times. He mentioned about Wolves 5-1 ing the Witches but the Witches 5-1'd more! In fact in the meetings between the two sides the Witches got five 5-1's one 3-3 and two 1-5's v's the Wolves in heats 13 and 15. outscoring Wolves 30-18 in those crucial heats, bearing in mind Wolves actually won 3 of the 4 meetings between the two the issue wasn't in heats 13 and 15.

Really good to see some of the lesser lights seeing the the Witches to Victory - Keynan Rew already seems a much more confident rider to last season and I am sure he and DanT combining in heat 14 to mke the win secure will have boosted their confidence no end! Jason seems to have picked up last season at Foxhall! I knew Brennan would be solid for the Brummies - they just need a win as right now they are certainly competive and in meetings until the end! Credit to everyone getting the meeting competed before the curfew as well - there was some grumbling on the live updates forum about Ambulances etc but I am pretty certain if it was your releative that need to go to hospital you'd be more than happy to wait! and edit - Adam Ellis two great meetings at home so far!

I think all the early call offs last year proved ultimately correct - well those weather related ones anyway!

Absolutely the right decision lashing down now - no chance this could have been on!

It seems that I am a curse to Sheffield this year - not in losing but in rain offs - thats 2/2 for me this year - could have been to, and was planning to attend both meetings so far in 2024 - I suspect it will be the right decision although no rain so far today, it is supposed to do so later this afternoon.

I think they will yes but conversely Zach Cook a blinding meeting for Wolves at Foxhall last year and Brennan will score a few as he is fairly decent at Foxhall

sorry I meant from the Birmingham perspective in that swapping out someone for Flint etc or putting Brennan in

Should be a fairly routine win this - but you never know!

Rock, Paper Scissors then?

Good to see a decent crowd. The news on the BSPA site has an image which shows a decent number of people alonmg the home straight etc. Might try for a trip down myself sometime. I suspect peoples views of the super heat maybe defined by the success, the Witches had a couple of decent results from it last year, however if there is the agregate BP then yes it seems odd to have both systems. Like someone posted above I am not sure if any team subs / changes late on would have affected the final result.

Lots can and will happen between now and Sept / playoffs etc. but we don't need anyone to do a Kings Lynn from last season and be so far behind its over for them halfway through the season. When you are ten points up at home not to get the win seems little careless but Sheffield do have a very strong top two (like Ipswich) I intially felt Birmingham will struggle and that will mean a dip in the crowds (they need good results now to keep the crowds interested) but this result is encouraging from their perspective. Sheffield have 2 top riders - Tai seems to be starting the seeason really well - Jack will probably be stronger at Owlerton than away from home but even so there is enough there to suggest they will be in the mix come playoffs. I rather suspect than JP and CH will swap positions sometime after the first set of averages changes. One final question how was the superheat received? It has its critics but the one i witnessed was exciting and well received by the crowd!

It does appear that a much more professional evolution is beginning to take place - this is good! irrespective of Tai's comment or getting the sun etc. Lets hope that this continues. I actually thought the programme at Ipswich was very good last night too, it was a glossy production with a much wider outlook to it, more pages and more like a football programme, or at least how I remember football prgrammes used to be - I haven't been to a live football match in England since about 2016. Again if this is a sign of the sport modernising and becomming more professional then I am all for it!

The one at Ipswich seems to be placed so when viewing from the 2nd bend grandstand and someone is stood partially in the way of the clock ive mistaken it for a red light on more than one occasion. Still bespite the doom and gloom there is a lot to be hopeful about - the season launch event looked good to me and both Ipswich and Oxford seemed to have good crowds last night and the season seems that it will be fairly evenly contested based on results so far - I am not sure if Ipswich picked up any Panthers - I did see one Pathers jacket last night at Foxhall - lets hope a Peterborough solution is found. I passed Alwalton turn off on the A1 on Wednesday and i did think - such a shame that the EoES has gone!

Struggled initially as Kurtz and Bewley started the meeting so well, big difference to last season (so far its only one meeting so lets not get too carried away) was the solid middle order - Ellis seems a very decent no 2, Rew did enough at 4 and the Reserves both were solid / promising. Heats 12 and 14 were often a weak spot for the Witches last year conceeding 1-5's but tonight it was 4-2 and a 3-3. Kurtz and Bewley aside Belle Vue were fairly weak - Lidsey was a surprise never seemed on it tonight. Nicholls wa s asolid guest - yes with Jason the Witches would probably have won by more Enjoyable first meeting, decent crowd 2k+ I would say and one or two very good races. Give Bewley his due he found a lot of speed to go from 3rd to 1st over a couple of laps in heat 6. Once Emil started winning tho it was all over. edit - a Great Performance from Danny King too!

So selfish - congrats to them anyway! hopefully Scott will be an adequate replacement he often scores very well when guesting to whilst not at Doyle’s level should be enough

Last year in the round 1 Fixture the Witches didn't have much backup to Emil and Jason and the Aces won the match effectively with a 5-1 in heat 12 which was a real bad heat for the Witches on more than one occasion last year! In the 2 Fixture it was much closer but Kurtz, I think, surprised most of Foxhall when having been on a 5-1 in heat 13 shot out of the traps to win heat 15 - again the Witches conceded a 5-1 in heat 12! Kurtz managed to get 2 wins against Emil and Jason last year which was probably about as good as any visiting rider at Foxhall v's them - so definitely no room for complacency. However on the plus for the Witches is no Charles Wright for the Aces who seems to go well at Foxhall! Still looking forward to it!

Looking forward to my first meeting of 2024 since the Kyle Howarth testimonal was postponed. Expecting a Witches win but Belle Vue took victory both times last year and in Brady Kurtz they do have a rider who can and will pop out of the start and stay there so no room for complacency!! Wishing good seasons and injury free for all in 2024!

Buttons meant 4-12 for Doyle!!

I felt for him as in a fair few races he would be placed after the first lap but then greater track craft or whatever would mean others would get past him - shame as if he could have held on and scored a few more points confidence would have been better etc - in the end the right decision was made - I recall moaning about it at the time but Dan proved a really good addition until his injury!

His Foxhall form was sensational for the last 2 seasons but last year he had 0 last places at home! from 57 races 150 points! I suspect he has a few more seasons in him yet too! Injuries permitting. One of the best bits of a meeting at Foxhall is hoping he misses the gate which he can do and then work his way through from the back!