The Ipswich Witches and the Leicester Lions kick off the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-offs with the first leg of their semi-final at Foxhall tonight (Monday).
The Witches topped the table for much of the campaign before suffering an injury crisis and slipping down, but they were still comfortable top four qualifiers – whilst the Lions ended the regular season on a run of just one defeat in 12 matches, moving them all the way up to second place.
Both sides are forced into changes tonight with Jan Kvech and Tom Brennan standing in for the absent Ipswich top two of Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov, whilst in-form Ashton Boughen comes in at reserve with Jordan Jenkins sidelined.
The Lions, who won by 18 points on their previous visit to the Suffolk venue, operate rider replacement for Ryan Douglas who has a wound to the arm which became infected, whilst Lewis Kerr guests for Craig Cook who has a dislocated shoulder. Sam Hagon is back from injury in the Rising Star berth.
Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “Leicester are a team we have had varying results against this season.
“We have had quite a few victories against them over the last few years, but we have said all season they are a very good team on paper, and they have come into form at the right time.
“We feel after Thursday’s performance (against Sheffield) and having a full one to seven out that we have a renewed confidence, and we are going to go out and fight every step of the way to make the Grand Final.”
Leicester boss Stewart Dickson said: “We go into the meeting slightly battered and bruised, but not as badly as Ipswich, we have to be honest about that.
“They’ve had to deal with it, and we have to deal with it too, that’s the nature of the sport and we will deal with it.
“We have to go there with the same attitude we showed in the second half of Thursday’s meeting at home, put up a right good fight and keep it as close as possible. We need to keep the tie alive for coming back home on Thursday, and that’s the plan.”
IPSWICH: Jan Kvech, Adam Ellis, Keynan Rew, Tom Brennan, Danny King, Ashton Boughen, Dan Thompson.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Richard Lawson, Sam Masters, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas R/R, Lewis Kerr, Sam Hagon.
SCB Referee: Wayne Jarvis
Words by British Speedway – Feature Image courtesy of Jeff Higgott Photography
