LEICESTER passed another acid test of their home form with an impressive 52-38 win over Glasgow at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena.
The result puts the Watling JCB Lions four points clear at the top of the table, although they have raced more meetings than their rivals at this stage.
But it was an important victory against a Tigers team brimming with confidence from two big home wins, and it showed again that the Lions are making their own circuit a tough place to visit.
Richie Worrall led the scoring with another strong display to total 13 points, and No.1 Nick Morris blasted back to form with three wins – and there were several solid displays in support.
That included the Thompson twins, who delighted another good crowd with a stunning double-act to get the better of Danish hotshot Benjamin Basso in a no-holds-barred battle in Heat 14, with that 5-1 confirming the visitors would take nothing from the meeting.
Morris set the tone with an early win over opposite number Craig Cook, but the Tigers remained in touch and the gap was just two points at the halfway stage as Basso defeated Worrall in Heat 7 with Ulrich Ostergaard adding third place.
But the Lions responded well with back-to-back 4-2s as Connor Mountain won Heat 8 with Joe Thompson snatching third place from Broc Nicol on the last lap, and guest Lewis Kerr and Dan Thompson both battled hard for a 4-2 in the next.
Lions then grabbed a crucial 5-1 from Morris and Mountain over Basso in Heat 10, and although the Tigers paired Cook with Tom Brennan with the latter on a tactical substitute ride in Heat 11, Worrall had control of the race from the gate.
The teams then traded 4-2s with Worrall and Morris being split by Cook in a highly competitive Heat 13, before the Thompson twins brought the house down against Basso in the penultimate race, and Cook gained some consolation with a win over Worrall and Morris in the last.
Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “It was a very good performance, to win 52-38 against one of the top teams in the league, and I think it surpassed expectations – three points for us and none for them, so I’m very pleased.
“We had a tough meeting last week against Poole, and we’ve faced another one of the favourites tonight and beaten both, and we also got a point at Redcar, so we’ve bounced back from the disappointment of Scunthorpe and Plymouth away from home.
“To get four points over the last 48 hours has certainly been more like it, and a special mention to Lewi Kerr for coming in and doing a very steady job for us – and hopefully Kyle Howarth will be back for next week.
“Four points over the two nights was certainly our minimum target and we got that, and it’s more like what I expect from this Lions team.”
The Lions have no away matches this week, but they return to the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena next Saturday (April 30) for another standout fixture against Redcar.
LEICESTER 52: Richie Worrall 13, Nick Morris 11+1, Lewis Kerr 8+1, Joe Thompson 8, Dan Thompson 6+2, Connor Mountain 6+1, Anders Rowe 0.
GLASGOW 38: Craig Cook 11+1, Benjamin Basso 8, Tom Brennan 8, Ulrich Ostergaard 4, Connor Bailey 4, Danyon Hume 3+2, Broc Nicol 0.
