SHEFFIELD v FOXES, PREVIEW
NORTHAMPTON Foxes are on the road for the final time this season as they visit play-off chasing Sheffield on Thursday (7.30pm).
The Tigers need one more point to mathematically confirm a top four finish, although realistically their points difference advantage over fifth placed King’s Lynn means they should already be safe.
For the Foxes it is a final opportunity to go for an away win in their debut ROWE Motor Oil Premiership campaign, with the 45-45 draw they achieved at King’s Lynn in early July standing as their best result on their travels.
The first aim, though, will be to make a far better start than on their previous visit to Owlerton six weeks ago, as that meeting saw them concede four 5-1s in the opening four races at which time they looked set for a devastating defeat.
Thankfully an improved performance in the second half of the meeting, including two race wins from Jaimon Lidsey, enabled them to prevent major damage thereafter, but the 58-32 result was still the Foxes’ biggest defeat of the season.
Team news for Thursday sees the home side operate rider replacement for No.1 Jack Holder, who has been sidelined since a serious crash in the Wroclaw GP in mid-June.
The Foxes are without reserve Mitch McDiarmid who is in Denmark ahead of the final round of the SGP2 (World Under-21) series which takes place at Vojens on Friday.
They bring in Scunthorpe rider Nathan Ablitt, who has good experience of the Owlerton circuit, to guest at No.6.
Manager Chris Adams will also be absent from this meeting due to a pre-booked commitment abroad, with the Sheffield match being a re-arranged fixture. Co-promoter Paul Hunsdon will take on team management duties on the night, ably assisted by his colleague Tony Gaul.
Hunsdon said: “We were aware when we signed Mitch that he would be unavailable on this date due to his SGP2 arrangements.
“So we’re looking forward to welcoming Nathan in for this meeting. He’s ridden at Sheffield before when they were in the NDL and he’s also guested in the Premiership there, and it’s always nice to bring in a talented young rider.
“Obviously we all remember our last performance at Sheffield when we had a disastrous first four heats, although after that we rode quite well – so we need to ensure we start a lot quicker than we did last time!”
The Foxes then complete their league season with a home match against King’s Lynn next Thursday (September 17) which may yet be significant towards the play-off race, and which in any case will serve as a celebration of the successful opening of the sport at the Shaleway.
Foxes fans not making the trip to Owlerton can still follow the action live as the meeting will be streamed by BSN at https://www.britishspeedwaynetwork.co.uk/ , whilst live scores will be available from the BSP’s official updates service at https://live.britishspeedway.co.uk/ .
SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder R/R, Anders Rowe, Chris Holder, Leon Flint, Josh Pickering, Jye Etheridge, Luke Killeen.
NORTHAMPTON: Niels-Kristian Iversen, Kye Thomson, Nicolai Klindt, Adam Ellis, Jaimon Lidsey, Nathan Ablitt, Luke Harrison.