MATCH REPORT: Eagles flying high after second half trumps Aces
Wednesfield Aces last lost an Elite League match to Horspath in August 2014, and on paper the Ipswich squad hoped to break that record.
Wednesfield were doing a fantastic job of filling the middle places from the first bend, looking a lot more organised and powerful, and picking passes where needed round the track for those all important 6-4s.
A frank and focused team talk from Dan Pike reset the Eagles, and the second half began with a 6-4 to the Eagles after Charlie Rumbold, first passing Ben Mould, making a hole for his partner Dan Chambers in the process, and then proceeded to chase down Paul Heard and pass him on the line.
This seemed to spark the home team into life, with Hill and Chadwick reversing their fortunes with a 7-2 over Heard, after Lee Kemp was excluded for riding Hill off of the track.
The points deficit was recovered with an unusual 7-0 when Whetton was excluded at the tapes, then Heard was excluded for crossing the central line and gaining an advantage.
In the first of the two nominated heats Ashley Hill and Cody Chadwick earned a 5-5 from the outside grids Chadwick pulling a lovely line on Ben Mould to put Ipswich on the brink.
Leaving Wednesfield needing a 7-3 in the final heat the pressure was on Jamie Chittock and Josh Brooke to guarantee the points with one of them needing to win the race from the inside grid.
The unenviable task was left to Brooke who kept his cool and was able to race away from the Wednesfield duo after Jamie Chittock had made a nuisance of himself on the first bend.
A fantastic match for the neutral with many spectators saying it was the best match they had seen in years, especially at Whitton.
For Ipswich, Josh Brooke and Cody Chadwick were on the pace offering 20 and 19 points respectively, while Charlie Rumbold and Ash Hill, who by their own admission had indifferent first halves, really got the bit between their teeth in the second half.
For Wednesfield it is a first defeat since August 2014, and they will look back wondering how they let a 13 point lead slip when normally so reliable in those situations. Ben Mould, as usual, scored solidly and Wednesfields ‘lower order’ really stuck to their jobs well especially in the first half when they really did give the Eagles a schooling in team riding.
IPSWICH EAGLES 99
Cody Chadwick 19+1, Ashley Hill 14, Matt Hill 12, Josh Brooke 20+1, Jamie Chittock 13, Charlie Rumbold 11, Leon Mower 4, Dan Chambers 5, Ben Harvey DNR, Alex Harvey DNR
WEDNESFIELD ACES 96
Brandon Whetton 13+1, Nicky Evans 8, Lee Kemp 7+2, Paul Heard 15, Lee Aris 14, Chris Jewkes 10, Mark Griffiths 11, Ben Mould 18
Referee Shaun Dyball (Norfolk)
Ipswich’s next match at Whitton Sports and Community Centre is Sunday 24th at 2pm, when the Ipswich Whirlwinds welcome Norwich in South East division 1.
The following week the Ipswich squad travel to Ostrow in Poland for the European Club Championships, a five rider team competition. Ipswich placed fourth in 2014, the only British team to make the final.
Ipswich will be represented by Charlie Rumbold, Cody Chadwick, Leon Mower, Ashley Hill and Richard Fellgett, and managed by coach Les Fellgett.