Lemon: Ipswich will come out "fighting"

BELLE VUE boss Mark Lemon expects Ipswich to come out “fighting” in their crunch clash. 

The ATPI Aces and Witches go head-to-head in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Play-Off semi-final first leg at Foxhall Heath on Monday night, live on BSN (7pm).

Lemon’s side comfortably topped the regulation league table but he’s not taking anything for granted against the defending champions. 

Ipswich are the only team to stop Belle Vue over the past three seasons. 

The Suffolk side knocked them out at the semi stage in both 2023 and last season. Belle Vue beat them in the last four on the way to their 2022 title. 

Lemon said: “Racing play-off speedway is the ultimate, and it’s tough. There are no gimmies.

“We searched for 29 years before we won a league title at Belle Vue and hopefully now maybe three are coming along in five years.

“But we fought really hard to get those two recent ones, and this is going to be no different. I would never underestimate or disrespect any other club and what their capabilities are.

“Ipswich will come out fighting, and play-off speedway is definitely another level. I know what we’ve got, I know what I’m working with, and I’m pretty confident with that – but let’s not get carried away just yet.”

IPSWICH: Richard Lawson, Scott Nicholls, Danny King, Tom Brennan, Tobiasz Musielak, Kevin Juhl Pedersen, Jason Edwards.

BELLE VUE: Brady Kurtz, Norick Blodorn, Peter Kildemand, Zach Cook, Jason Doyle, Tate Zischke, Will Cairns.

Words: Phil Lanning

Images: Taylor Lanning