Lions in top-of-the-table clash
LEICESTER VISIT SECOND-PLACED GLASGOW TIGERS BEFORE BRUMMIES RETURN TO CITY
LEICESTER are preparing for two important fixtures starting with a visit by the senior Lions team to Glasgow Tigers tonight for a Championship match, writes Alan Jones.
The Scottish club are second in the table, 12 points behind the Lions who are back to full strength following the return of Connor Mountain, right.
He withdrew from their record win at Newcastle following a fall the previous night while racing against Plymouth.
Tomorrow, Leicester host the Birmingham Brummies who will be making their second visit to the Paul Chapman and Sons Arena this year.
The two teams met in the Knockout Cup on the opening night of the season with the Lions winning the Midlands derby clash 64-28.
Since then Birmingham have been hit by injuries to Josh Auty, James Shanes and illness to Claus Vissing who has also missed a number of matches due to his Danish club commitments which has contributed to a poor set of results. A five-match losing streak ended last week after Birmingham achieved a hard-fought win over play-off contenders Plymouth Gladiators. With recent signing Justin Sedgmen scoring well and Claus Vissing returning to the side, it is anticipated the Brummies will present the Lions with a sterner test than on their previous visit.
Leicester: 1. Nick Morris, 2. Connor Mountain, 3 Richie Worrall, 4. Joe Thompson, 5. Kyle Howarth, 6. Jason Edwards and 7. Dan Thompson.
Birmingham: 1. Claus Vissing,
2. Stefan Nielsen, 3. Justin Sedgmen,
4. Ashley Morris, 5. Tom Brennan, 6. James Shanes and 7. James Pearson.
Meanwhile on Sunday, the Lion Cubs face a high-profile fixture when they travel to Suffolk to race against the Mildenhall Tigers.
Mildenhall are the most successful club in the history of the third tier of British Speedway and are the current National Development League champions after adding a fifth title last season to their ever growing list of achievements. When the two teams met at Leicester in May, it was the Lion Cubs who enjoyed a 49-40 win over the champions who were reduced to four riders after two withdrew through injury in the second half of the meeting.
It will be a homecoming for the Lion Cubs’ elder statesman Connor Coles, who was a member of the Mildenhall team that won the National Trophy.
With Max Perry now fully recovered from breaking his collarbone last month, the Lion Cubs are fielding a full team for the first time since the second fixture of the season.