STEAD: BRING ON THE SEMI-FINAL!

SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead says he’s “dead keen” to get their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off tie underway.

The Tigers will face Leicester in their semi-final clash with the first leg at the Hydroscand Arena on Monday before they host the decider at Owlerton on Thursday (September 18, 7.30pm).

Sheffield’s last outing saw them win away at regular table-toppers Ipswich, who have since progressed to this year’s Grand Final, and Stead wants his side to take belief from that into their head-to-head with the Lions.

He said: “It’s going to be a tough one because Leicester are a solid team as we’ve seen on more than one occasion this season, and they’ve got plenty of riders who ride our place well.

“So we won’t be taking anything for granted – but I am excited, and I’m dead keen to get started.

“We go into the play-offs on the back of a brilliant away win at Ipswich and whilst that counts for nothing in one respect, I do want the lads to use it as a marker if you like and take great confidence from that result.

“That was a real team performance and that’s what we’re going to need to get us past Leicester if we’re going to reach the Grand Final.”