PREVIEW: BIRMINGHAM v IPSWICH (PREM KOC)
BIRMINGHAM and Ipswich kick off their Premiership KO Cup semi-final with the first leg at Perry Barr tonight (Monday).
It will be the Witches’ second visit to the West Midlands in the space of eight days, but once again they are forced into changes due to their injury crisis.
Scott Nicholls and Norick Blodorn guest for Danny King and Adam Ellis, with rider replacement in operation for Jason Doyle.
And with Rising Star Dan Thompson out with Covid, Freddy Hodder comes in to guest.
The Brummies also operate rider replacement as skipper Steve Worrall is ruled out with illness, whilst new averages have Polish star Piotr Pawlicki racing at reserve.
Birmingham boss Sam Ermolenko said: “We showed what we’re capable of against Ipswich last Monday and we’re looking for something similar this time around.
“The new riding order is interesting shall we say, and to have someone like Piotr at reserve could make us stronger.
“We want to be in that Cup Final, we want to do it for the club as whole and of course for the supporters, so hopefully they come out and get behind the riders and it should be another exciting race meeting.”
Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “We struggled last Monday but this is a Cup semi-final now and we want to retain that trophy. We were so proud to win it last year and we want to keep hold of it.
“It is a big week for the boys, and we are determined to qualify, and I feel we are in a better position this week than we were last week, a few of the boys being there recently should help them and we have the team line-up better this week.
“After our performance last Thursday which I thought was brilliant in the circumstances hopefully we can carry on that confidence, and we are going there looking to win the meeting and set ourselves up for Thursday.”
BIRMINGHAM: Tom Brennan, Wiktor Lampart, Zach Cook, Justin Sedgmen, Steve Worrall R/R, Piotr Pawlicki, Leon Flint.
IPSWICH: Jason Doyle R/R, Freddy Hodder, Scott Nicholls, Norick Blodorn, Emil Sayfutdinov, Keynan Rew, Jordan Jenkins.
SCB Referee: Tony Steele
*LIVE STREAMING: https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk
