FURIOUS Ipswich Witches promoter John Louis has told his riders in no uncertain terms they are riding for their 2007 contracts.Louis was left deflated and shocked after Ipswich's capitulation at Swindon on Monday when the Suffolk side conceded two 5-1 maximums in the final two races and a 19-point lead overall.

By Elvin King

FURIOUS Ipswich Witches promoter John Louis has told his riders in no uncertain terms they are riding for their 2007 contracts.

Louis was left deflated and shocked after Ipswich's capitulation at Swindon on Monday when the Suffolk side conceded two 5-1 maximums in the final two races and a 19-point lead overall.

Louis said: “To say I was disappointed with the lads' performance is an understatement.

“Only Mark Loram escapes any form of criticism, he rode his socks off for the club on Monday, which is not something I can say about many of the others.

“Sure, Swindon is a difficult track to master and it was bumpy, but we had a 19-point lead for goodness sake. I didn't expect us to win there, but the bonus point was the least I expected.

“I don't know whether some of the team think the season is drawing to a close, but it isn't as far as I'm concerned. Certainly there are a few riders riding for their 2007 contracts.”

What made matters worse for the Witches was that their performance was seen by millions on television.

It hardly fills fans and sponsors with confidence but the team can undo some of the harm created by Monday's defeat, with two stirring performances, at Poole tonight and at home to Coventry tomorrow.

“Our away form hasn't been good all season and I suppose something like the Swindon result was coming,” Louis added.

“Riding at Poole is not going to be very easy either. It is another track we don't seem to go well on, but I am hoping for a bit of a reaction if nothing else.”

The Witches, however, could be facing even more injury worries. Hard on the heels of broken collar bone victim Chris Louis' crash, the Witches could be without Kim Jansson tonight.

He banged his head at Swindon and pulled out of his last ride complaining of dizziness. If he doesn't make it tonight, the Witches will use a guest.

Carl Wilkinson replaces Daniel King who is on his way to the world under-21 final in Italy.

Poole, meanwhile, are hardly pulling up any trees themselves.

Indeed if the Dorset club lose tonight, it will equal their record run of defeats having previously lost eight on the trot in 1982, 1998 and 2005.

Tonight's teams

Poole: B Pedersen, C Boyce, G Walasek, K Kasprzak, A Lindback, J Davidson, M Wethers.

Ipswich: P Protasieiwcz, K Jansson/guest, R Miskowiak, R/R, M Loram, C Wilkinson, T Kroner.