LEICESTER complete their regular ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign with final positions still significant as they host Ipswich at the Hydroscand Arena on Monday (7.30pm).
A win and the aggregate point will secure second place in the league standings for the Watling JCB Lions, and with it the right to stage the second leg of their play-off semi-final at home.
The margin to pull back to take the maximum from the meeting is ten points after a 50-40 defeat at Foxhall last month – although the Lions will be confirmed in second place regardless if Sheffield lose by more than four points at leaders Belle Vue.
Monday’s contest at Beaumont Park is also a crucial one in the race for the final play-off place, as opponents Ipswich have been placed into peril following a home defeat to Belle Vue last week.
The Suffolk side seemed certain to seal their top four spot when they led 31-23 after Heat 9, but a late collapse saw them go down 49-41 at the same time as King’s Lynn were beating a depleted Lions side at the Adrian Flux Arena.
That means if the Witches lose on Monday, they can be overtaken for fourth place by the Stars, if the Norfolk side win their final fixture at Northampton on Thursday.
Leicester are hopeful of having their regular top five available, although there remains a question mark over Nick Morris, whose partner is due to give birth. Meanwhile Justin Sedgmen once again stands in at reserve.
Skipper Sam Masters was the highest-placed of the Lions’ contingent in Saturday’s Championship League Riders’ Championship as he represented Oxford at Sheffield.
Masters scored 14 points from five rides, and would have been unbeaten but for a last bend pass by Josh Pickering in their opening outings.
Pickering went on to win the meeting ahead of Chris Harris, Zach Cook and Masters. Dan Thompson scored seven points and Drew Kemp five.
Lions manager Stewart Dickson said: “We don’t need to win for the play-offs, but we still want to win and complete a 100 per cent home record.
“I’ve looked through the permutations but with respect to Ipswich and King’s Lynn what they are doing doesn’t really concern me, and our focus remains to finish as high up the table as we possibly can.
“We’re still not sure on Nick at the moment, but I don’t see anything out there in terms of guests, and if we do need to go with rider replacement I’m pretty sure it will serve us better around the Hydroscand Arena than it did at King’s Lynn – but it would be big boots to fill given Nick’s home form.
“The message to the supporters is simple: turn up and support us, and I’m sure Ipswich will bring a few because they know what they have to do and it’s an important meeting for them.
“But my whole focus is on Leicester, and we have every intention of completing the season with a 100 per cent home record.”
Monday’s meeting at the Hydroscand Arena will be live streamed on Lions TV. Passes available from https://www.leicesterlionstv.com/ .
LEICESTER: Ryan Douglas, Drew Kemp, Sam Masters, Dan Thompson, Nick Morris, Justin Sedgmen, Joe Thompson.
IPSWICH: Richard Lawson, Scott Nicholls, Danny King, Tom Brennan, Tobiasz Musielak, Kevin Juhl Pedersen, Jason Edwards.
