|
BELLE VUE V LION CUBS, PREVIEW Thursday August 18, 2022
The meeting twice fell victim to the weather back in May, and it now takes place with the season approaching the business end and both teams firmly in contention for the play-offs. The Lion Cubs are second in the table with four matches remaining, and have two matches in hand on leaders Berwick who are four points ahead. Meanwhile the other two play-off places are held by Oxford and Belle Vue, with Mildenhall and Kent – who meet this weekend themselves at Iwade – the two teams looking to make up ground. The trip to the National Speedway Stadium presents the Lion Cubs with one of their biggest challenges, as they face a home side who have been truly dominant around their own circuit this season. Belle Vue have topped the 60-point mark in three of their six home matches, and added further scores of 57 and 58, with Berwick the best-performing visitors so far on the end of a 50-40 defeat. The Colts’ away form has been patchier meaning they still have work to do in the play-off race, although a recent win at injury-hit Mildenhall has certainly boosted their prospects. Both sides are at full strength with Jake Mulford an addition to the Belle Vue ranks since they raced at Leicester in May, whilst the Cubs make positional switches with Max Perry’s impressive start to life in the NDL now seeing him promoted into the top five. Perry lines up at No.2 where he partners Dan Thompson, exchanging places with Mickie Simpson who joins Vinnie Foord at reserve. Team boss Dave Howard said: “In every away match the objective is to come away with at least a point, although obviously Belle Vue are very strong at home. “They’ve got a team of riders who ride the bigger tracks well so we know how good they are on their home circuit – but the aim is to come away with at least a point if we can, and that’s what we’ll be looking to do.” BELLE VUE: Jake Mulford, Nathan Ablitt, Harry McGurk, Sam McGurk, Jack Smith, Archie Freeman, Freddy Hodder. LEICESTER: Dan Thompson, Max Perry, Connor Coles, Tom Spencer, Joe Thompson, Vinnie Foord, Mickie Simpson. |
