LEICESTER kick off a crucial month of August with a trip to Sheffield on Thursday (7.30pm) as they battle for a play-off place in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
The Watling JCB Lions have seven fixtures scheduled during the month, and whereas July was loaded in favour of home matches, August sees them on the road five times.
Lions got the job done on their own circuit with their position strengthened by several comfortable wins which opens up the possibility of aggregate points in the return fixtures.
One such example is Sheffield, who the Lions defeated 53-37 at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park, and therefore the first target on Thursday is 38 points to ensure they add to their league total.
But although the Tigers boast a strong home record, having reached the 50-point mark in their last six Owlerton appearances, Lions’ current form means they can travel with optimism of challenging for what would be a vital away victory.
The current position in the league table shows Oxford in fourth place on 20 points with the Lions just one behind, and with four matches in hand.
The Spires only have five meetings remaining but they will be expected to add a full haul of three points on Thursday as they race at home to bottom club Birmingham.
Oxford can score a maximum of 33 league points, but the Lions can reduce that total as the two sides meet home and away later this month.
The other team in realistic contention are King’s Lynn, albeit coming from further behind, and Leicester face the Stars three times over the coming weeks, starting at the Adrian Flux Arena on Monday,
But their initial job comes in South Yorkshire where manager Stewart Dickson names an unchanged team and riding order to face the Tigers.
The home side are still without Tai Woffinden, who hopes to return from a broken elbow later this month, and with all but one of the seven Premiership teams in action on Thursday they have elected to operate rider replacement at No.2, which effectively guarantees a Heat 8 ride for Grand Prix star Jack Holder.
Dickson said: “Our recent home results have been excellent and I’m pleased with the team, but we’re still behind Oxford in the league. They’ve still got the points on the board.
“With what we’ve done at home we’ve given ourselves a chance for when we go to places like Sheffield and Ipswich, and we’re now showing what we can do.
“We know Sheffield are strong, they could beat us 54-36, but once you’ve worked hard to get something, you want to protect it, and that will be the message for this away match.
“I think we’re in a decent place and it’s nice to see things coming off because I know there were a few raised eyebrows with the changes I’ve made, but I always do what I feel is best for the team.
“The seven riders are all working together, along with myself, but we know there’s plenty more work to be done.”
SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Tai Woffinden r/r, Kyle Howarth, Josh Pickering, Chris Holder, Jason Edwards, Dan Gilkes.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Richard Lawson, Sam Masters, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas, Antti Vuolas (g) Sam Hagon.
