IPSWICH'S sporting cup was today running over with joy.The Ipswich Witches speedway heroes beat Elite League champions Oxford Cheetahs 46-44 at a frenzied Foxhall Stadium last night to book a Knock-Out Cup final date with Peterborough Panthers.While this was going on in Suffolk, the Ipswich Town footballers were winning a tricky Worthington Cup third round tie 3-2 at First Division Crewe Alexandra.

By Dave Allard

IPSWICH'S sporting cup was today running over with joy.

The Ipswich Witches speedway heroes beat Elite League champions Oxford Cheetahs 46-44 at a frenzied Foxhall Stadium last night to book a Knock-Out Cup final date with Peterborough Panthers.

While this was going on in Suffolk, the Ipswich Town footballers were winning a tricky Worthington Cup third round tie 3-2 at First Division Crewe Alexandra.

It was a night to remember and the Witches' triumph was achieved after a 45-45 league opener against the Cheetahs that saw the visitors clinch the coveted title in a double header fixture.

Sizzling Scott Nicholls, out for so long this season due to a bad shoulder injury, weighed in a 13- point cup semi second leg haul as his side registered a 91-89 aggregate victory.

In the nip and tuck league clash that also thrilled the fans he roared in with 15.

Dutch international midfielder Martijn Reuser was the Premiership Blues two-goal hero.

He returned from a lengthy thigh injury absence to hit plucky Crewe at the double at Gresty Road. Striker Alun Armstrong got the other.

"I was breathing quite heavily at the end but I enjoyed scoring the goals," said Reuser. "I felt we just about deserved to win, although Crewe played really well and their strikers gave us a lot of difficulties."

The Witches team manager Mike Smillie said: " I thought the lads were terrific. You could not ask for more exciting speedway than that."

The KO final date with Peterborough has yet to be arranged.

Town, beaten in the Worthington Cup semi-finals last season by Birmingham over two legs, now go into Saturday's fourth round draw.

This will be shown live on ITV's On the Ball shortly before the home Premiership game with Everton.