LEICESTER go into their biggest meeting since returning to the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership when they travel to Ipswich in the play-off semi-finals on Monday (7.30pm).
The Watling JCB Lions have secured a top four finish in the modern era of the UK’s top league for the first time in their history, having previously failed to do so in six previous attempts from 2014-2018 and in 2023.
Their second-place finish in the Premiership table matches the achievement of the team of 1971 in the old British League Division 1, who finished runners-up to Belle Vue before play-offs were used to decide the league title.
Having suffered just one defeat in 12 matches, Lions head to Foxhall in good form, although recent incidents mean they make the trip without two of their regular riders.
Rider replacement will be in operation for Ryan Douglas, whose arm wound required hospital treatment after it became infected, and the Australian is sitting out meetings in three countries this week although he hopes to be fit for Thursday’s second leg.
All members of the Lions team are entitled to take one of his rides, whilst at reserve Lewis Kerr steps in as a guest for Craig Cook who is out with a dislocated shoulder.
Kerr has enjoyed a solid run of results for King’s Lynn since rejoining the Stars, and he is also a former Ipswich rider having represented the Witches in 2016. Meanwhile Sam Hagon is fit to return after missing last week’s matches due to mouth damage.
Ipswich’s injury problems are well-documented and they head into the semi-final without their spearhead of Jason Doyle and Emil Sayfutdinov, with Jan Kvech and Tom Brennan booked to guest for the home side.
In addition, reserve Jordan Jenkins suffered a wrist injury at Oxford last week and the Witches have brought in former Lion Cubs rider Ashton Boughen to guest – and he could be a key figure as he has hit a rich vein of form including a 15-point maximum at Championship level at Redcar on Friday.
Lions have visited Ipswich on three occasions this season, and although they suffered a disastrous 60-30 defeat in mid-June, they put that right with an impressive 54-36 win at Foxhall two months later on a night where the Witches’ problems really began to bite.
In all competitions, Ipswich are winless in eight matches, but they will have taken some confidence from the second leg of their KO Cup Final against Sheffield where they fought back to draw 45-45.
Lions manager Stewart Dickson said: “We go into the meeting slightly battered and bruised, but not as badly as Ipswich, we have to be honest about that.
“They’ve had to deal with it, and we have to deal with it too, that’s the nature of the sport and we will deal with it.
“It starts all over again now, whatever we’ve achieved this season which was second position, and I think that was very credible for Leicester in their second season back in the Premiership.
“But whatever has happened in the past means nothing, and Monday is a totally different ball game.
“We have to go there with the same attitude we showed in the second half of Thursday’s meeting at home, put up a right good fight and keep it as close as possible. We need to keep the tie alive for coming back home on Thursday, and that’s the plan.”
IPSWICH: Jan Kvech, Adam Ellis, Keynan Rew, Tom Brennan, Danny King, Ashton Boughen, Dan Thompson.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Richard Lawson, Sam Masters, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas R/R, Lewis Kerr, Sam Hagon.
