PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD v PETERBOROUGH (Prem)

SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead admits his side are facing a crunch clash with Peterborough in tonight’s (Thursday) televised Premiership encounter at Owlerton.

Tigers have been hit by the news that Jack Holder, their best rider so far this season, has been ruled out with bad bruising of the lung and shoulder after a crash in Poland last week.

Fellow Aussie ace Nick Morris will deputise and young Brit Kyle Bickley stands in for Josh Bates who remains on the sidelines at reserve.

Sheffield are unbeaten at home but have been run close on several occasions, whilst the third-placed Panthers are looking to bounce back from a home defeat to Belle Vue on Monday.

Stead said: “We’re up against it with the injuries, losing Jack for a second week makes it tough but we’re sure Nick will give it a right good go for us.

“Peterborough are a great side, we know it will be tough and we need all our fans to turn out in the sunshine and get behind the team. I’m sure Peterborough will be bringing a few.”

Panthers star Ulrich Ostergaard said: “I’ve always liked Sheffield, it’s always been a good away track for me, and I think the rest of the boys like it as well.

“I think it should be a fairly even racetrack anyway, so hopefully we can go there and have a bit more speed than Monday, a bit better gates, and hopefully put some points on the board to make up for what we lost against Belle Vue.”

SHEFFIELD: Troy Batchelor, Kyle Howarth, Adam Ellis, Josh Pickering, Nick Morris, James Wright, Kyle Bickley.
PETERBOROUGH: Ulrich Ostergaard, Hans Andersen, Michael Palm Toft, Scott Nicholls, Bjarne Pedersen, Jordan Palin, Chris Harris.