SHEFFIELD 44 LIONS 46

26/06/2025

SHEFFIELD 44 LIONS 46

LEICESTER are through to their first top-flight Cup Final in five decades - and also became the first team to win at Sheffield this year.

The Watling JCB Lions produced a solid all-round display to run out 46-44 victors in South Yorkshire, sealing a 100-80 semi-final aggregate success.

Captain Max Fricke won the pre-meeting coin toss and wasted little time selecting gates one and three - and seemingly that decision proved very wise as the Lions left Sheffield shell-shocked with four advantages in the opening five races.

Fricke combined with former Sheffield skipper Kyle Howarth to open with a 5-1 over Anders Rowe and Grand Prix star Jack Holder before Drew Kemp and Joe Thompson took the minor placings in the reserves’ race.

Howarth was then involved in his second maximum of the evening, this time alongside Ryan Douglas before Sam Masters led a 4-2 in Heat 4 with Rising Star Joe Thompson also holding off 2012 World Champion Chris Holder for third.

A second 4-2 followed, this time from Douglas and Fricke, as the Lions went 12 up on the night and 30 ahead on aggregate.

Mechanical issues for Masters and then Howarth handed the hosts 4-2s, but the Lions replied with successive 4-2s in Heat 8 of their own to put them on the verge of qualification.

Howarth made a brilliant start to Heat 10 and even though he was eventually reeled in by Jack Holder, it was enough to book the Lions’ place in the Final.

The hosts went on to record a further four race winners in addition to set up a last heat decider.

But Fricke resisted a strong challenge from Jack Holder to ensure the Lions also claimed victory in the second leg on a memorable night all round in South Yorkshire.

Team Manager Stewart Dickson said: “We got off to a really good start, and I did say that the choice of gates could be very important.

“We got a good start and we managed to hold on even though Sheffield came back at us, which was to be expected because they’re a very good team.

“Credit to both teams; they were still throwing their bikes at each other in Heat 15, enjoyable to watch and an enjoyable meeting from our point of view.

“Tonight is about us, we got to the Final, we got the job done and we never got put under the pressure that I was expecting.”

Leicester will face either King’s Lynn or Ipswich in the 2025 Premiership Knockout Cup Final in the last week of July.

Next up for the Lions it’s a crunch league clash against play-off chasing King’s Lynn at the Hydroscand Arena next Thursday (July 3, 7.30pm) with a busy weekend ahead for the Leicester Lion Cubs in the National Development League with three meetings in two days, including a home fixture against Oxford Chargers this Sunday (June 29, 12 noon).

PREMIERSHIP KO CUP S/F, 2nd leg
SHEFFIELD 44: Jack Holder 11, Chris Holder 8+1, Justin Sedgmen 8+1, Josh Pickering 6, Anders Rowe 5, Lewis Kerr 5, Nathan Ablitt 1.
LEICESTER 46: Max Fricke 12, Ryan Douglas 10, Sam Masters 8, Kyle Howarth 7+2, Drew Kemp 6+1, Joe Thompson 3+1, Luke Becker r/r.
Leicester win 100-80 on aggregate

Next Home Meeting

Leicester Lions V King's Lynn Stars
03 July 2025 : 19.30

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