THE Bank Holiday Battle of the Roses sees Sheffield and Belle Vue clash on both sides of the Pennines with both teams looking for vital league points.
The Aces and Tigers both booked their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-off spots last week but now their eyes are on top two finishes.
It’s high noon in Manchester before the teams and their supporters head to south Yorkshire for the 7.30pm rematch.
Sheffield have won their last four outings – and seven of the last eight – a hot run of form which has taken the defending champions to the top of the table, four points ahead of the Aces who booked their play-off place by winning at Ipswich on Thursday.
Sheffield have already won three of the four meetings between the sides in league and cup This season but continue to be without Dan Gilkes who is suffering from an eye irritation (anterior uveitis). Plymouth’s in-form Joe Thompson – who began the season as Leicester’s Rising Star – deputises in both meetings while GP wildcard Tom Brennan guests in place of Tai Woffinden on his former home track with the Tigers reverting to rider replacement for the evening meeting.
The Aces, who are on a four-match winning streak themselves, are at full strength for both meetings.
Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “We want to finish as high up that league table as possible and there’s not many points separating the top four with just a few regular meetings to go each.
“Even more so in these big derby meetings, the volume our supporters make and the atmosphere they help create plays such a big part.
“So I ask them to shout loud and proud for the boys and let’s do everything we can to make it another memorable end to a season.”
Belle Vue: Dan Bewley, Norick Blodorn, Jaimon Lidsey, Ben Cook, Brady Kurtz, Antti Vuolas, Jake Mulford.
Sheffield: Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth, Chris Holder, Josh Pickering, Tom Brennan (Rider-replacement at Sheffield), Jason Edwards, Joe Thompson.
Words by George Dodds.
Images by Taylor Lanning.