LEICESTER face a newly re-strengthened Edinburgh side as they look to keep the ball rolling at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena on Wednesday (7.30pm).
It’s a rare midweek home fixture for the Watling JCB Lions as the previously scheduled visit of the Monarchs was rained-off earlier in the season.
And with the weather set fair and no home meeting this weekend, club bosses are urging supporters to come out and back their table-topping side – as they look to go eight points clear.
Lions boast a 100 per cent home record in the Championship but their hopes of extending that are complicated by the Monarchs’ team changes and another injury setback concerning Josh Bates.
The former British Under-21 Champion crashed heavily when racing for his Premiership club Peterborough on Monday, and now faces another period on the sidelines with concussion.
Lions operate the rider-replacement facility for Bates, whist Eastbourne’s Richard Lawson stands in as the heat-leader guest for broken ankle victim Richie Worrall.
Edinburgh have re-structured their line-up with arguably the most dramatic move so far in the Championship by bringing Sam Masters back to the club in a bid to secure more race wins.
Masters, a former title winner at Armadale and also a renowned track specialist at Leicester with a doubling-up spell for the Lions on his CV, slots straight in at No.1 and forms a power-packed opening partnership with Ricky Wells.
In order to accommodate Masters, the Monarchs have axed Swedish duo Victor Palovaara and Joel Andersson, with Mildenhall youngster Matt Marson handed his official Championship debut at reserve.
Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “There’s no doubt this meeting looks slightly tougher with Edinburgh’s changes, and them bringing in Sam Masters certainly adds some spice to it.
“Josh Pickering is a rider I rate highly too, but we are pretty dialled-in around Leicester and when teams come here strong at the top we have strength in other areas to compensate.
“If we carry on doing what we’re doing then we should have enough to get over the line, and the important thing is to keep the back door closed at home and not drop any points here.
“Josh (Bates) is a concern, though, and hopefully we’ll know more by the time of the meeting.”
Lions also visit Scunthorpe on Friday with Kyle Howarth booked to stand in for Worrall at the Eddie Wright Raceway.
LEICESTER: Scott Nicholls, Ellis Perks, Josh Bates R/R, Ryan Douglas, Richard Lawson, Joe Lawlor, Connor Mountain.
EDINBURGH: Sam Masters, Ricky Wells, Josh Pickering, William Lawson, Cameron Heeps, Matt Marson, Connor Coles.
