PREVIEW: SHEFFIELD v WOLVERHAMPTON (Sports Insure Prem P/O SF)
SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead insists his riders ‘can’t afford to take their foot off the gas’ when they host Wolverhampton in their Sports Insure Premiership play-off semi-final decider at Owlerton tonight (Thursday).
Despite including three guests, the Tigers produced a brilliant display in the West Midlands on Monday to come away with a 50-40 triumph, putting them in the driving seat to set up a Grand Final clash with Ipswich.
But despite many now making them favourites to progress, Stead says the Steel City side cannot rest on their laurels – and believes treating it as a normal home fixture is the best approach.
He said: “It’s quite simple, we’ve drawn a line underneath Monday’s first leg. We start from zero again on Thursday as far as we’re concerned because the important thing when you get to this time of year is momentum.
“It’s about using what you did in the previous meeting to help boost your belief and confidence but then it’s about not taking anything for granted to ensure you’re always sharp and ready to keep that ball rolling.
“So we can’t afford to take our foot off the gas, we need to carry on doing what we’re doing and if Monday is anything to go by then we’re going to be a threat to anybody.”
The Tigers again bring in Robert Lambert and Richard Lawson to guest in heat-leader berths, whilst Connor Mountain steps in for Claus Vissing at reserve. Wolves are at full strength and unchanged from Monday’s first leg.
Wolves star Steve Worrall said: “We’ve got to stay positive, it’s not over. We could quite easily go there and do what they did at our place.
“But we’ve got to forget about Monday and go to Sheffield, give it our all and put everything on the line.
“Obviously we want to make that Final because we want to give Wolves the send-off they deserve. We know we’re going to be up against it but we have to go there thinking positively.”
SHEFFIELD: Robert Lambert, Kyle Howarth, Chris Holder, Josh Pickering, Richard Lawson, Connor Mountain, Jason Edwards.
WOLVERHAMPTON: Sam Masters, Steve Worrall, Luke Becker, Rory Schlein, Ryan Douglas, Zach Cook, Leon Flint.
