SHEFFIELD will be looking to get the job done early as ROWE Motor Oil Premiership pacesetters Ipswich visit Owlerton tonight (Monday).
It is of course a repeat of last year’s epic play-off final when the Tigers clawed back an 18-point deficit to lift the title after a last-heat decider.
That seems to have set the tone for the South Yorkshire club who so far this season have won at Birmingham courtesy of a Superheat, at Leicester after a last heat 5-1 from Jack And Chris Holder and last week needed another Superheat to progress past Belle Vue in the Knockout Cup.
In contrast Ipswich sit proudly on top of the table and will travel to Owlerton with Jason Doyle still revelling in the afterglow from his victory at the Warsaw GP on Saturday.
Last time out they enjoyed a comfortable win over local rivals King’s Lynn in a rain-affected meeting but are still without captain Danny King due to a hand injury, Leicester’s Ryan Douglas once again guesting in his place.
Sheffield is not a happy hunting ground for the Witches whose last positive result was a 45-45 draw in 2016 when both clubs were operating in the Championship.
Sheffield skipper Kyle Howarth is expecting another electric atmosphere at the stadium on Monday night.
He said: “Like ourselves, Ipswich have a very strong top end and it’s going to be another great meeting.
“After a real battle in the past few meetings, it would be nice if we could lay down a bit of a marker with an even bigger win – but as long as we get the two league points, I guess it doesn’t matter what the final score is.”
Ipswich team manager Ritchie Hawkins – who, along with Adam Ellis rode in the last winning Ipswich team at Sheffield, in 2014, said: “We met Sheffield in the cup final and play-off final last year and both teams will be favourites to be up there and do it again.
“I’m not entirely sure why we haven’t won at Sheffield for so long, it is very different to the Ipswich track but the amount we ride on different circuits these days, home advantage isn’t as prevalent as it used to be.
“We will keep working hard at it and see if we can put together 15 solid heats and push them close or try and nick a victory.”
Luke Killeen will replace Jason Edwards who is still feeling the effects after his crash at Berwick on Saturday night.
Sheffield: Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth, Chris Holder, Josh Pickering, Tai Woffinden, Luke Killeen, Dan Gilkes.
Ipswich: Emil Sayfutdinov, Dan Thompson, Adam Ellis, Ryan Douglas, Jason Doyle, Keynan Rew, Jordan Jenkins.
Words by George Dodds.
Images by Taylor Lanning.