LEICESTER stage their biggest home meeting in over six years with tonight’s Championship Shield clash with Sheffield (7.30pm).
A win for the Watling JCB Lions at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena will take them into the semi-finals of the competition – but if the Tigers prevail, it will ramp up the pressure for Sunday’s return fixture at Owlerton.
Lions reached the Premier League play-offs in 2012 but have been starved of any team success since then, especially during their five seasons in the top-flight.
But Friday’s victory at Redcar, along with a further point on the road at Scunthorpe and two big home wins, opens up the chance to seal a place in the last four on their own circuit.
And boss Stewart Dickson has highlighted the importance of getting the job done at the first attempt as they take on a Sheffield club ironically also under the same overall ownership.
Dickson said: “We can’t slip up in this meeting. Sunday is another day which we’ll deal with when it comes, but we know that any slip-up tonight and Sheffield will be right back in it.
“We have to finish off the job in a meeting which I feel will be a cracker. It’s close to being a local derby, and we know the relationship between the families.
“They wanted someone in who was going to fight Leicester’s corner, and that’s what I’m doing. It doesn’t matter if it’s Sheffield or whoever we’re racing, it’s Leicester for me.
“We just have to make sure we finish the job off, hopefully the luck will stay with us and we can book a place in the semi-finals in front of our own fans – but we won’t rest on our laurels, because we know Sheffield will come and have a right good go.”
Sheffield lost 50-40 at Scunthorpe on Friday, and were also beaten by ten points at Redcar – but with former Lions skipper Danny King at No.1, along with strength and experience from the likes of Kyle Howarth and Ty Proctor, they are expected to present the home side with their toughest test yet on their own track.
A win of any description will mean the Lions become the first team to book their place in the semi-finals of the competition.
LEICESTER: Scott Nicholls, Ellis Perks, Josh Bates, Ryan Douglas, Richie Worrall, Jack Thomas, Connor Mountain.
SHEFFIELD: Danny King, Drew Kemp, Kasper Andersen, Ty Proctor, Kyle Howarth, Zaine Kennedy, Broc Nicol.
