SCUNTHORPE take on defending champions Leicester in the play-offs this weekend with the first leg of their Championship quarter-final tie at the Eddie Wright Raceway tonight (7.30).
The Scorpions will be on their guard this evening because the North Lincolnshire venue has been a profitable one for the Lions so far in 2021, with a 52-38 win in the first round of the KO Cup in May, followed by a 51-39 victory in the league in early September.
But a measure of the Scorpions’ form around their own circuit is that those have been their only two home defeats so far this season. – so they will look to establish a lead to leave the tie in a good position ahead of Saturday’s return fixture at the Paul Chapman & Sons Arena.
Leicester are once again without Dan Thompson, who is gradually recovering from the illness which forced him out of last weekend’s league match at Glasgow, leading to a compulsory eight-day absence.
Scunthorpe are forced into changes themselves with Thomas Jorgensen ruled out due to knee ligament damage suffered in a crash at Sheffield last weekend, whilst Theo Pijper has this week been hit by an SCB suspension.
The Scorpions operate rider replacement for Jorgensen and bring in Kasper Andersen for Tero Aarnio who has been absent long-term with a visa issue, whilst Lions asset Connor Mountain guests at reserve for Pijper.
SCUNTHORPE: Adam Ellis, Simon Lambert, Jordan Palin, Kasper Andersen, Thomas Jorgensen R/R, Josh MacDonald, Connor Mountain.
LEICESTER: Nick Morris, Kyle Howarth, Ryan Douglas, Dan Thompson R/R, Hans Andersen, Joe Thompson, Zaine Kennedy.
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