LEICESTER round off their regular SGB Premiership campaign when they visit Rye House on Monday (7.30pm).
The Watling JCB Lions still have a chance of avoiding bottom place in the final table should they pull off a shock Hoddedson victory, if basement rivals King’s Lynn also lose at Wolverhampton.
But their task is made much harder by a late-season injury crisis which has seen Erik Riss and Lasse Bjerre join Pawel Przedpelski on the sidelines.
Neither Riss, who suffered an ankle injury in Germany last Wednesday, nor Bjerre, who damaged his knee when brought down by Jacob Thorssell at Beaumont Park on Friday, are thought to face extensive periods out of action, but both do miss the trip to Hertfordshire.
In their places Leicester track Ellis Perks – who was controversially axed by the Rockets earlier in the season – and Jye Etheridge, who displayed some fast-gating ability in Friday’s home clash with Wolves.
Lions will, however, be back to full strength at reserve as Josh Bates returns from international duty to partner Kyle Newman.
The Rockets have missed out on a play-off place despite a dramatic late-season charge which has seen them rack up a series of big home wins.
But it was arguably their narrow defeat at Beaumont Park in a thrilling contest last month which proved costly in the final analysis as they eventually lost out for fourth place to Poole, who won at King’s Lynn and Somerset last week.
Lions boss Jim Lynch said: “Rye House are obviously a very good side now, especially at home.
“But we certainly don’t want to go there and make up the numbers. We want to go there and entertain, and play our part in a good meeting.”
Following the Rye House match, Lions will be back in action at Beaumont Park on Sunday September 17 (2pm) when they host homeless local rivals Coventry in the East Midlands Bowl, in a meeting which also includes the British Youth Championship.
They also host the National League Riders’ Championship on September 24, and if they do not win at Hoddesdon on Monday there will be a promotion/relegation play-off against the winners of the SGB Championship to come next month.
RYE HOUSE: Chris Harris, Ben Barker, Ricky Wells, Krzysztof Kasprzak, Scott Nicholls, Stuart Robson, Ben Morley.
LEICESTER: Kim Nilsson, Jye Etheridge, Ellis Perks, Pawel Przedpelski R/R, Danny King, Josh Bates, Kyle Newman.
