LEICESTER are looking to complete a ROWE Motor Oil Premiership double when they make their first-ever visit to newcomers Northampton on Thursday (7.30pm).
The Watling JCB Lions were convincing 57-33 winners when the sides met at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park earlier this month, but they will face a much revised Foxes side on this occasion.
The hosts are still chasing their first victory since entering the sport this season, and this will be only their third home fixture.
With Matej Zagar ruled out due to broken ankle, Northampton have signed Danish rider Jonas Jeppesen who has been in fine form in the early stages of the campaign when racing in the Championship for Workington.
Jeppesen is one of two debutants for the Foxes as the experienced Niels-Kristian Iversen, who has always been a declared member of their side, makes his first appearance having been cleared to fly to the UK following a punctured lung.
There is one other change for the home side with former Lions youngster Sam Hagon coming in at reserve as a guest for Luke Harrison, who is away with Great Britain at the FIM Speedway of Nations 2 in Prague.
Leicester are without Dan Thompson, who suffered a broken collarbone in the reverse fixture, and boss Stewart Dickson has called up Lewis Kerr to guest.
Kerr is not racing regularly in the Premiership this season but importantly he did ride at Northampton a fortnight ago, scoring 7+1, and Kyle Howarth also has experience of the Brafield circuit after an earlier guest appearance.
Dickson said: “We could have operated rider replacement for Dan, but I felt having a seven-man team away from home on a track we haven’t been to is the right call.
“Obviously we want to secure the aggregate point, but we know there could be more there for us, as we can see from the scores so far at Northampton that there are clearly quality riders there who haven’t quite adapted yet to their surroundings.
“I’m sure that will come in time, but I do think there is an opportunity to maybe grab more than just the aggregate point, and that will be the talk on the track walk.
“With Kyle and Lewi having raced there before we have a couple of guys we can bounce off when discussing set-ups, and also Lewi is in good form at the moment with paid-11 at Poole and paid-17 at Redcar last week.”
Lions supporters making the trip should note that tickets can be booked in advance from https://northampton-speedway.com/ticket-office which will allow for quicker entry, but cash and card admission options are available on the night.
For those not travelling, Northampton will be live-streaming the meeting with passes available from https://www.northamptonfoxestv.com/ .
NORTHAMPTON: Jaimon Lidsey, Troy Batchelor, Jonas Jeppesen, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Nicolai Klindt, Kye Thomson, Sam Hagon.
LEICESTER: Ryan Douglas, Lewis Kerr, Nick Morris, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Drew Kemp, Dan Gilkes.
