FOXES v SHEFFIELD, PREVIEW
NORTHAMPTON Foxes bid to erase the memories of the cruellest defeat of their season when they host under-pressure Sheffield at the Shaleway on Monday (7.30pm).
It’s a second visit of the campaign for the Tigers, with their previous appearance resulting in one of the most dramatic comebacks seen in recent years of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.
With four races remaining, the Foxes led by eight points and appeared to be heading for a comfortable victory – only for Sheffield to incredibly turn the tables and reel off a 4-2 followed by three 5-1s to win the match 48-42.
That defeat hurt the Foxes, but the Tigers have been unable to build on the result to any great extent and they currently find themselves outside the top four.
They were overturned at home themselves by King’s Lynn and then lost the aggregate point from a position of strength at Ipswich on Thursday, both results coinciding with the absence of No.1 Jack Holder who is sadly ruled out long-term after a serious crash at the Wroclaw GP.
Tigers bosses have stated they are considering all options when it comes to their route forward this season, and there are clearly expectations on their riders to produce a consistent upturn in form.
The declared line-ups for Monday’s meeting did feature Richard Lawson as a guest for Holder, but Sheffield’s plans have changed and they have now recruited the Shaleway’s track record holder, Ryan Douglas, to stand in at No.1.
The Foxes are unchanged from last week’s defeat at Belle Vue with all seven of their riders available, and they are fully aware it is the fine margins of consistency which have prevented them from taking more points in their debut season.
Foxes manager Chris Adams said: “We sit here now at the halfway stage of the season with three points to our name, but looking back at previous meetings this could easily be eleven or twelve.
“We have to stay focused and concentrate on the second half now, which comprises a lot more home matches for ourselves, and I’m confident our tally will grow as we get more regular home fixtures.
“We’re expecting new shale to have been delivered in an effort to make it a better racing circuit and with the aim of making it more comfortable for our guys to ride on a weekly basis, and I’m sure it will be an entertaining and enjoyable night for everyone.”
Advance tickets for the meeting are available from https://northampton-speedway.com/ticket-office , and for anyone who cannot attend, there will be full coverage via live streaming from https://www.northamptonfoxestv.com/ .
NORTHAMPTON: Jaimon Lidsey, Kye Thomson, Matej Zagar, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Nicolai Klindt, Troy Batchelor, Luke Harrison.
SHEFFIELD: Ryan Douglas, Anders Rowe, Chris Holder, Leon Flint, Josh Pickering, Jye Etheridge, Luke Killeen.