SPEEDWAY: Lakeside Hammers started their season with two challenge match victories over Ipswich Witches.

Hammers travelled to Foxhall Road in their opening fixture and were leading 39-33 before the circuit’s curfew was exceeded. But there were no time worries when the Suffolk side arrived at the Arena-Essex Raceway.

Lakeside recorded a thumping 66-24 win. Hammers took victory in every heat bar one. Thursday’s match was cut short from the scheduled 15 heats due to injuries to Witches riders Kozza Smith and Leigh Lanham.

Both teams traded heats throughout the evening and the visitors had a six-point lead when the curfew kicked in resulting in the match being halted. The injured incurred the previous night meant it was a weakened Ipswich line-up which took to the Essex track on Friday.

Adam Shields and Jonas Davidsson rode well but the star for Lakeside was Kauko Nieminen, who took a maximum 15 points.

The result sets Lakeside up nicely ahead of the first leg of their Knockout Cup double-header with Eastbourne next week.

Lakeside host the East Sussex side on Friday evening before the return at the Arlington Stadium the following night.