GALLANT LIONS MISS OUT

LEICESTER manager Stewart Dickson had praise for both teams after missing out in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Grand Final by seven points.

The Lions are runners-up for a second season running, but after being heavily beaten in last year’s decider by Belle Vue, this time around they made the Witches sweat into the closing stages.

KO Cup winners Leicester had nine of the 15 race winners at Foxhall and ultimately they were left to rue a four-point defeat on their home circuit in the home leg as a significant reason for falling short.

Dickson said: “You will always look back at certain things over the two meetings, but I’m very proud of the team that we stuck at it and we kind of took it to Heat 15.

“We were seven points down on the night and we showed great energy and determination to come back, and you can say ‘what if this never happened,’ like when we were away on a 5-1 in the first race which would have been a perfect start and one you dream of!

“Last year we deserved to lose; this year, I think it was there for us if we wanted it, and we never grabbed it, which will make it difficult over the next couple of days.

“But that’s sport, and we’re not losers, we’re runners-up, and well done to Ipswich. They will get the plaudits and rightly so, they will celebrate and enjoy their night, but I’m very proud of my team for getting to the Final two years running.

“I was desperate not to roll over and lose 55-35 tonight, and the guys kept it going and did their best. We’ve had a good season, it just could have been a great season!”

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Photo credit: TAYLOR LANNING