Diamonds out to cast spell on Witches

A DEPLETED Newcastle Diamonds side will look to throw a spanner in the Ipswich Witches’ SGB Championship charge tonight.

The East Anglia outfit are one of three teams locked on 47 points at the top of the table, while their seventh-placed visitors are hindered by injuries.

Robert Lambert and Steve Worrall, who represent Newcastle in the pairs championship at Somerset tomorrow, spearhead the Diamonds’ attack.

Ashley Morris and Ben Hopwood are the only other regular members of the Diamonds competing with them.

Broken collarbone victim Lewis Rose is replaced by guest Kevin Doolan, the Berwick captain, and, as a former Ipswich man, he should know the quickest way around Foxhall Stadium.

Doolan is paired with Morris tonight as the Diamonds are sharing out skipper Ludvig Lindgren’s races under the rider replacement regulation with the Swede on compassionate leave.

There is also a change at No 7 in the Newcastle line-up where highly-rated, Norwich-born teenager Jack Thomas.

The youngster races in the National League for Kent but gets a rare chance to compete at a higher level, joining them in place of Alfie Bowtell.

Bowtell aggravated a shoulder injury during a guest appearance for Berwick last weekend and compounded the problem when falling off at Byker on Monday while celebrating on duty with the Diamonds.

Newcastle were beaten 53-39 on their first visit to Ipswich last month and it will be a major surprise if they manage to halt the Witches’ charge to pole position in the table.

Diamonds’ team manager George English said: “Steve and Robert were our top two last time and, hopefully, they can get into double-figures again.

“Ludvig got 9 points at Ipswich last month, so he is going to be a big miss, and I’m hoping Kevin Doolan will prove to be a good choice of guest.

“We’re giving Jack Thomas a run as a lot of people have been saying good things about him wanting to learn all the time and being an emerging talent, so we’ll see for ourselves.”