LEICESTER return to full strength for Saturday’s important Championship Jubilee League clash with Redcar at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena (7pm).
Watling JCB Lions No.1 Nick Morris missed last week’s matches at Scunthorpe and at home to Berwick due to illness followed by a mandatory period out of action.
But he returns to the team for the first of two must-win home matches, where it is also essential that the Lions prevent the visitors from scoring.
With one point from their two away matches in the Southern group, the Lions can still top the table with home wins over Redcar and Scunthorpe, depending on the outcome of the other matches between those clubs.
The Bears race both of their away fixtures in a 24-hour period as they travel to Scunthorpe on Friday just before their trip to Leicester.
They gave an impressive display in defeating the Lions 51-39 at the Ecco Arena a fortnight ago, where youngsters Jordan Jenkins and Jason Edwards were very much to the fore.
The visitors are led by British Final hopefuls Charles Wright and Lewis Kerr, but former Lions man Erik Riss is ruled out after a crash in Poland last weekend, and is replaced by guest rider Justin Sedgmen.
Lions skipper Kyle Howarth said: “We definitely want to move on in the competition, but Redcar are going to be tough.
“They’ve got a solid team from one to seven so it’s going to be a tough meeting and we need to deliver.”
*LIONS’ outstanding KO Cup quarter-final second leg at Scunthorpe has now been arranged for Friday September 2.
LEICESTER: Nick Morris, Connor Mountain, Richie Worrall, Dan Thompson, Kyle Howarth, Max Clegg, Joe Thompson.
REDCAR: Charles Wright, Jason Edwards, Justin Sedgmen, Kasper Andersen, Lewis Kerr, Kyle Bickley, Jordan Jenkins.
