LEICESTER bid to make club history by securing major top-flight silverware as they head into the Premiership KO Cup Final against King’s Lynn this week.
The Watling JCB Lions travel to the Adrian Flux Arena for the first leg of the trophy decider on Monday (7.30pm), and they then host the decider at the Hydroscand Arena, Beaumont Park on Thursday.
It's exactly 50 years since a Leicester team last reached a Cup Final at the top level, losing to Belle Vue on that occasion, and excitement is high given current form that this could be their time.
Lions certainly go into the tie in the best possible shape, having eliminated Sheffield in the semi-final before impressively winning at Owlerton again in the league last Thursday, as well as reeling off a run of home wins.
But whilst the Tigers are packed with top-end strength, King’s Lynn offer a very different challenge and one which cannot be under-estimated.
The Stars produced one of the shocks of this or any recent season with their semi-final victory over local rivals Ipswich, and their team this week is likely to be stronger than in that tie.
They will have Lewis Kerr guesting for Ben Cook but No.1 Niels-Kristian Iversen is due back from a rib injury, and there’s little doubt that flying reserve Nicolai Klindt will be one of the key men in the Final given the extra rides that he can take.
For the Lions, manager Stewart Dickson has again elected to track a seven-rider line-up with Ipswich’s Tom Brennan coming in to guest for the injured Luke Becker, an arrangement which is in place for both legs.
And whilst a big night at the Hydroscand Arena on Thursday is virtually guaranteed regardless, Leicester will look to make things as straightforward as possible with another good display in Norfolk first of all.
Dickson said: “It’s a real opportunity to bring silverware to the club, but I’m sure King’s Lynn will be thinking the same thing, and I think it looks a good, evenly matched tie.
“Both clubs will have ambitions to get the silverware. I’ve said many times the reason I’m at Leicester is that I want to bring success and trophies, and to at least be involved in that.
“We are involved, and let’s see this week – if we don’t get any bad luck, we might just get our hands on the trophy.
“The first job is to keep the tie alive at King’s Lynn, and again that needs everyone doing their bit. I think it’s fair to say a lot of my riders at the top end get a lot of praise from me, but it was our reserves Drew Kemp and Joe Thompson who won us the meeting at Sheffield.
“That highlighted the sort of performances we are putting in, and we will need to put in this week if we’re going to try and win this Knockout Cup.”
KING'S LYNN: Niels-Kristian Iversen, Richard Lawson, Chris Harris, Lewis Kerr, Jan Kvech, Nicolai Klindt, Luke Harrison.
LEICESTER: Max Fricke, Tom Brennan, Ryan Douglas, Kyle Howarth, Sam Masters, Drew Kemp, Joe Thompson.
