Morris sets track record as Lions hit 60 home points again
LEICESTER reached the 60-point mark for the fourth time this season at home after despatching the Redcar Bears by 60-30 in a Championship fixture on Saturday, writes Alan Jones.
The Lions are in formidable form at home and are making it difficult for visiting teams to gain any kind of advantage at the Paul Chapman and Sons Arena.
The meeting began on a high note for Leicester’s number one rider Nick Morris, who set a new track record for the circuit.
The Australian first of all had to pass Charles Wright and, when he crossed the finish line, Morris was timed at 59.81, which broke the previous best that had stood for three years.
Morris was in unbeatable form, winning each of his next four races, and so too was Kyle Howarth on his return to the team after missing the previous two fixtures due to a chest infection.
The Lions skipper won each of his five heats to top the scoring chart.
It was Redcar’s first defeat of the season and they had to rely heavily on the former Leicester rider, Charles Wright who scored a third of the team’s total.
Wright was the only visiting rider to take the chequered flag. He was handed an additional ride as a tactical substitute alongside Erik Riss in the hope the pair would slow down Leicester’s march towards another high score.
However, their hopes came to nothing as Howarth was faster into the first bend and then rode a perfect four laps to win the race.
By the interval, the Lions were 42-24 ahead and already assured of the match points but they continued to relentlessly increase their lead further after the break.
Over the final four heats, they outscored Redcar by 18 points to six to end the night with another runaway win – their best points haul at this stage of the season at home since speedway returned to Leicester in 2011.
Leicester Lions 60: Nick Morris 12 points, Connor Mountain 6, Kyle Howarth 15, Dan Thompson 5, Richie Worrall 12+2, Ben Morley 2 and Joe Thompson 8+2
Redcar Bears 30: Charles Wright 11 points, Adam Roynon 1, Lewis Kerr 7+1, Kasper Andersen 2, Erik Riss 4+1, Jason Edwards 2 and Jordan Jenkins 3
Leicester’s second team, the Lion Cubs, race in their first match of the season on Friday.
They travel to Manchester to face the Belle Vue Colts in a National Development League fixture.
Dan and Joe Thompson, together with Tom Spencer and Mickie Simpson, are joined by newcomers Connor Coles, Vinnie Foord and Max Perry.