PREVIEW: LEICESTER v IPSWICH (Sports Insure Prem)

LEICESTER host Ipswich tonight (Thursday) in a vital clash of two teams either side of the Sports Insure Premiership play-off zone.

Three wins in four have taken the Lions in the top four whilst the Witches currently find themselves outside after losing at home to Wolverhampton last week, and then Monday’s defeat at Belle Vue.

However, the visitors did win at the Pidcock Motorcycles Arena, Beaumont Park in the KO Cup earlier this season in a meeting which saw Emil Sayfutdinov break the track record in his first ride at the venue.

Leicester bring in Drew Kemp to guest for Dan Thompson who is currently ruled out with concussion. The aggregate point is also available after Ipswich’s narrow 47-43 win at Foxhall a fortnight ago.

Lions boss Stewart Dickson said: “I’m not saying it’s a must-win, but it’s a very important one for us. They beat us at the start of the season so we take nothing for granted, but I do think as a team we are more dialled into the track now.

“We can expect a tough meeting, but I’m confident with the way we’re riding that we can get the two league points, and then if there’s a chance to grab that all-important aggregate point we’ll go for that as well.”

Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “For me, it’s the biggest meeting of the season so far. On the back of two disappointing results, it’s important we get points there.

“Leicester are a team who are going to fight to be in the play-offs, that’s obvious, and we need a win to keep in the mix.

“We’ve already been to Leicester this season and won, and it will be nice not to have R/R this time. Leicester are in better form than they were back then. But we know we’ve won there, so we go there confident.”

LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Justin Sedgmen, Richard Lawson, Chris Harris, Nick Morris, Jake Allen, Drew Kemp.
IPSWICH: Jason Doyle, Ben Barker, Danny King, Keynan Rew, Emil Sayfutdinov, Danyon Hume, Joe Thompson.

*LIVE STREAMING: https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk