It is a make or break fixture for the Harry Jordan Haulage Lions at Newcastle on Sunday as the team need the match points to give them a chance of making the play-offs later this season.
“We are currently level on match points with the Redcar Bears who also have one fixture remaining. They are at Rye House on 14th September so whatever happens at Newcastle on Sunday it will mean we have to wait six days to know who goes through.
“So every point will count in our meeting at Newcastle as the question of who makes the play-offs between us and Redcar could be decided on the differential between points scored for and against. It is that close. Newcastle have an unbeaten home record in the Premier League this season but two clubs have come away with a draw and Edinburgh won there in the cup so they are not totally invincible. We have to concentrate on the task ahead of us and create the same mood as we did when we won at Redcar last month and then anything is possible” commented the Lions Co-promoter Alan Jones.
Leicester are hoping that Kevin Doolan, who missed the win over Edinburgh on Saturday with a broken rib sustained whilst riding for Lakeside in the Elite League, will be fit to take his place in the side. Doolan is planning to have a workout the day before to determine whether he is fit to race at Newcastle. If Doolan fails his fitness test then Leicester will cover for his absence by utilising the rider replacement facility as will Newcastle who are without the injured Stuart Robson. Meanwhile the Lions captain Kauko Nieminen is booked in to have an operation on the shoulder he injured whilst riding for Leicester against Rye House last month.
