LEICESTER return to ROWE Motor Oil Premiership action for the first time in over a fortnight when they host King’s Lynn in a vital fixture on Thursday (7.30pm).
The Watling JCB Lions last rode as a team when they won at Birmingham on April 28, following on from another away victory at Oxford one week earlier.
That elevated them into the top four of the early league table, but King’s Lynn are one of their direct rivals for a play-off place and as such the upcoming meeting at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park could be very significant.
The sides proved closely matched when they met in Norfolk last month, with the Stars edging that contest 46-44, so the aggregate point is also available on Thursday.
It’s the start of a busy period for the Lions as they go into a run of away matches, starting at Belle Vue and Ipswich next week along with a Bank Holiday trip to Sheffield, with Birmingham also due back for a league visit before the end of the month.
Lions have called in their former rider Joe Thompson to guest at reserve for Dan Gilkes, who is out with a knee injury but is hoping to be in attendance at the clash with the Stars.
Meanwhile there is good news over Kyle Howarth who hurt his shoulder in a crash at Glasgow on Friday and was subsequently laid low with a chest infection, but he is fit to take his place as normal.
King’s Lynn operate rider replacement for Ben Cook who has been ruled out since crashing out of the reverse fixture, and that means former Lions rider Nicolai Klindt could play a significant part in proceedings at reserve.
That was a position occupied by Chris Harris when the Lions visited the Adrian Flux Arena, but he is now at No.1 for the Stars with their middle order featuring Richard Lawson who spent the last two years with Leicester and helped them into last season’s Grand Final.
Lions manager Stewart Dickson said: “It’s a big one on Thursday, and certainly out of the three meetings coming up in the next week I know which one I want to win the most, and it’s Thursday!
“I’m not saying the other results in the two meetings next week don’t count as much, but I’ve always said I feel we are going to be in a dogfight with King’s Lynn this season, and we want that top four place.
“I’m sure they will come here with the same thoughts, but we’ll concentrate on what we want to do. It’s good to have Kyle fit, whilst we welcome Joe in and he will know the job he has on the night.
“We should also know more about Dan Gilkes by Thursday evening and if that’s the case we’ll let everyone know.”
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Luke Becker, Ryan Douglas, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Drew Kemp, Joe Thompson.
KING’S LYNN: Chris Harris, Ben Cook R/R, Jan Kvech, Richard Lawson, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Nicolai Klindt, Ashton Boughen.
