LEICESTER travel to Oxford on Tuesday for what has become a one-off meeting to decide the National Development League Grand Final.
The Lion Cubs will need to win at Cowley in order to retain their crown after it was confirmed that there will be no further speedway beyond the official end of the season on October 31.
That rules out any possibility of further fixtures being staged at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park in 2023, with the weather forecast for the remainder of the week looking far from encouraging in any case.
The recent spate of postponements due to bad weather and the effect on track conditions also means that Mildenhall have been awarded the KO Cup as they were able to stage their leg of the Final, despite the Lion Cubs’ 11-point win in that meeting.
A BSPL statement issued on Monday evening confirmed: “Oxford are scheduled to host Leicester at Cowley on Tuesday (October 31) in the NDL Grand Final, and with the agreement of both clubs this will now be a one-legged tie with the overall result to be decided on the night.
“Should the meeting be unable to take place at Oxford on Tuesday, Leicester will be declared champions as they were league leaders ahead of the Grand Final.
“In the case of the NDL KO Cup Final, Mildenhall have twice visited Leicester and been unable to race the meeting due to conditions on the day.
“With Leicester now having no available dates on which to re-stage their home leg of the Final, the KO Cup has therefore been awarded to Mildenhall.”
The Lion Cubs therefore head to Cowley, weather permitting, looking to put on their best performance of a brilliant season in order to clinch the NDL title against a Chargers team who have a hugely impressive home record.
Oxford are back at full strength as Henry Atkins, who would have missed out at the weekend due to family commitments, lines up at No.5.
Leicester also name their full one-to-seven with Max James having emerged unscathed from a heavy crash during the track testing session before Sunday’s meeting was abandoned.
OXFORD: Jordan Jenkins, Ryan Kinsley, Luke Killeen, Jody Scott, Henry Atkins, Jacob Clouting, Jason Garrad.
LEICESTER: Dan Thompson, Ashton Boughen, Max Perry, Tom Spencer, Joe Thompson, Vinnie Foord, Max James.
