PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD v IPSWICH (Sports Insure Prem)

SHEFFIELD face Ipswich for the second time in four days tonight (Thursday) with the Tigers keen to bounce back from a below-par showing on Monday.

The Witches won that meeting by 12 points, but the aggregate point on offer tonight dates back to the Round 1 fixture between the sides in April, which Ipswich took by a narrower 47-43 margin.

Both sides declare full line-ups with Ben Barker due to return to the Witches side after missing Monday’s match at Foxhall with a back injury, whilst Dan Thompson makes his debut in the Rising Star berth.

Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “I did think we could go to Ipswich and run them closer than we did. There’s still a long way to go in this season yet though, and while we’re not quite where I’d like us to be at this stage, we could also be a lot worse off.

“Having said that, I am keen to see us put a run of results together soon, hopefully starting on Thursday.

“We know how powerful we can be around Owlerton and whilst Ipswich haven’t had the best of times overall lately, with Doyley (Jason Doyle) and Emil (Sayfutdinov) and Danny (King) who rides our place very well, we know Ipswich will come here feeling they can do something.”

Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “We will go the Sheffield to attack the meeting and obviously a four-point lead is not a great margin for an aggregate point.

“I think it is a place Keynan (Rew) will take well to, so we’ve got a team we know can score well around there and we will go there off the back of a good performance on Monday looking to put another one in.”

SHEFFIELD: Tobiasz Musielak, Lewis Kerr, Adam Ellis, David Bellego, Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth, Dan Gilkes.
IPSWICH: Jason Doyle, Danyon Hume, Danny King, Ben Barker, Emil Sayfutdinov, Keynan Rew, Dan Thompson.

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