POSTPONED: SHEFFIELD v LEICESTER (PREM KO CUP)

THE Premiership KO Cup semi-final between Sheffield and Leicester at Owlerton has been postponed due to heavy rain in the hour before start time. A new date is to be arranged.

PREMIERSHIP KO Cup holders Sheffield need to turn around an 18-point deficit when they host Leicester in the second leg of their semi-final tonight (Thursday).

The Lions were impressive 54-36 winners in the East Midlands on Monday with Ryan Douglas scoring a paid maximum, and they will now look to reach their first Cup Final since rejoining the top-flight.

Both sides are unchanged from the first leg and both managers have highlighted the importance of the early stages of the meeting.

Tigers boss Simon Stead said: “We know the job in hand and it’s all over to us.

“Let’s carry on what we have been doing at Sheffield, we’ve been really good around there so far this season, and we’ve been really strong.

“In the first set of heats we need to bring it back a bit and then, hopefully, once we’re carrying some momentum, we can finish strongly and do enough on aggregate.”

Lions manager Stewart Dickson said: “We will go to Sheffield in confident mood to try to hold on to 18 points, but we are under no illusions, this is still a difficult fixture.

“They are very good around their home track, and we know what they can do to teams there, so we need to start well on Thursday.

“How nice would it be to get to a Knockout Cup Final? It would be very good for everyone involved with the club, and that’s what we’ll be going for.”

SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Anders Rowe, Josh Pickering, Lewis Kerr, Chris Holder, Justin Sedgmen, Leon Flint.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Drew Kemp, Joe Thompson.

SCB Referee: Mick Bates

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