PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD v BELLE VUE (ROWE MOTOR OIL PREM)

ROSES rivals Sheffield and Belle Vue clash at Owlerton tonight (Thursday, 8pm) with both sides currently on 17 points in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

The Tigers won 35-25 in Manchester at the end of May in a meeting abandoned due to the weather, and they currently hold second place in the table with the Aces third.

Sheffield name a full-strength side whilst Belle Vue bring in Chris Harris at No.1 for Brady Kurtz who is ruled out with continuing ankle trouble.

Tigers manager Simon Stead said: “I’m sure Mark Lemon will have his boys fired up for this one after we beat them on their own patch by ten points on Bank Holiday Monday and everything else that went on that day.

“Belle Vue have been a bit up and down on the road so far this season but they’re one of those teams who could just turn it on away from the National Speedway Stadium if they’re in the mood.

“As I always say though, I’ve got full belief in our riders and as long as we ride how we know we can, then I have every confidence that the lads can go out there, get another win over the Aces and give us three more league points.”

Lemon said: “We were bitterly disappointed at how the first leg of this meeting ended, especially after all the work put in by the track staff to see it through to Heat 15.

“But that’s done now, and we know what’s expected of us on the night. I truly believe that ten points is more than doable for the boys to pull back.

 “We had an excellent night at Owlerton in the KO Cup and, for a time, we were leading that match and I firmly believe that we can replicate and improve on that performance.”

SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth, Chris Holder, Josh Pickering, Tai Woffinden, Jason Edwards, Dan Gilkes.
BELLE VUE: Chris Harris, Norick Blodorn, Jaimon Lidsey, Ben Cook, Dan Bewley, Connor Mountain, Connor Bailey.
SCB Referee: Phil Griffin