Oxford Spires gained a crucial point but lost out in a super heat against league leaders Ipswich Witches,

After a 45-45 draw, the concluding super heat went to Ipswich in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership at Oxford Stadium last night (Thursday, July 4).

Ipswich had already won 48-42 at Sandy Lane in April and picked up another victory after brilliant Russian Emil Sayfutdinov and Witches’ guest Scott Nicholls took a 7-2 over Maciej Janowski and Chris Harris in the additional super heat.

Across Spires, Cheetahs and Chargers, there have already been 19 completed meetings at Sandy Lane this year, and Witches are the only visitors to emerge victorious and have now done so twice.

The three Oxford sides have won the other 17 meetings.

Erik Riss, who was the top scorer for Spires, said: "It was a shame we ended up in losing in the super heat.

"We did get one point for taking the meeting to that race, but it’s still gutting not to be the winning team at the end of the evening.

“The track was slick tonight, but there were still plenty of lines, you could use the outside by the fence or the inside on the white line.

"It was really close racing and we all chipped in. But Ipswich are the league leaders and have a very good side.”

Spires remain in fourth place in the table, two points ahead of Leicester Lions, and are back in action on Monday (July 8) when they travel to Birmingham, where they previously picked up a 48-42 victory in April.