LEICESTER hit the road for the first time in 2024 when they travel to King’s Lynn in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership on Thursday (7.30pm).
The Watling JCB Lions made a solid start to the season with a 47-42 win over the Stars on their home track last week, and the aggregate point will also be available at the Adrian Flux Arena.
The Norfolk venue proved to be a happy hunting ground for the Lions in 2023 as they took 47-43 and 46-44 wins during their successful mid-season run – and now they will look to get some away points on the board in the new campaign.
It will be the Stars’ first home fixture of the season, and they have already stated their intention to improve on their recent record on their own track after struggling to mount a play-off challenge in recent years.
Whilst they have only retained two of their 2023 riders, Danish star Niels-Kristian Iversen has extensive previous experience with the club, and several of their newcomers have scored well on their past visits.
For the Lions, Richard Lawson is a former King’s Lynn rider, and his presence at No.2 could be significant in what is expected to be another close-fought meeting.
Manager Stewart Dickson said: “We’re holding five points on aggregate, and if at any time we were to go six behind we can throw in a tactical.
“But maybe we won’t be six behind, because it’s a track that I think most of our riders enjoy, and with the team we’ve got this year, they’ve all raced that track plenty of times.
“We’ll got there in a positive mood, and at worst we’ll try and get the aggregate point, but we’d love to come away with a win.”
The meeting marks the start of a busy Easter period for the club as the Lion Cubs go into action at Belle Vue on Good Friday (1pm), before the Lions are back at home on Monday evening (7.30pm) in a big KO Cup clash with Ipswich.
KING’S LYNN: Tobiasz Musielak, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Michael Palm Toft, Benjamin Basso, Vadim Tarasenko, Patryk Wojdylo, Anders Rowe.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Richard Lawson, Sam Masters, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas, Drew Kemp, Joe Thompson.
Photo credit: STEVE DIXON
