The Ipswich Witches travel to Sheffield tonight for the second leg of the Premiership Grand Final with their eyes set firmly on completing a league and cup double.
The two sides met at Foxhall in the first leg on Tuesday and it was the Witches, already KO Cup champs, who emerged with an 18-point lead to take into the second leg after a 54-36 victory on home shale.
The Suffolk side lost 51-39 on both of their league visits to South Yorkshire this season but more recently in the KO Cup final Ipswich were beaten 48-42.
A repeat of either of those scorelines would see Ipswich crowned league champions - but Ritchie Hawkins’ side will be heading to Owlerton looking to win the meeting, not just defend their lead.
Former Witch Joe Thompson is the guest again for his injured brother Dan in the Rising Star position with the Witches unchanged from Tuesday’s win.
Jason Doyle had medical checks on Tuesday night following his heat four crash but has no breaks and has declared himself fit to ride.
It promises to be another tense night away from home in the play-offs with plenty of travelling fans making the trip north hoping to see their side complete a historic league and cup double in 2023.
Witches boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “We are in a similar position to the semi-final with a big lead, but we are going to a team that we know are going to be very strong on their home track.
"We saw them turnover Wolves last week and they were superb in the semi-final. We need to go into it, looking to win it and carry on what we have been doing.
"We are doing everything right at the minute, everything is rolling our way but at some point, Sheffield will get on top and we need to make sure we keep on fighting like we did at Belle Vue and like we have done all season when our backs have been against the wall. One more meeting, let’s go and do it.
“They are going to be fired up, they want to win the league. We are battling for the top prize in British speedway, and nobody is just going to give it to us on a plate and the boys know that.
"They have shown this season that they are fully prepared for Thursday, and they don’t want to let anything stand in their way.
"Hopefully we can carry on what we have been doing and walk away as champions."
SHEFFIELD: 1. Robert Lambert (G) 8.69 2. Kyle Howarth 5.55 (c) 3. Chris Holder 7.16 4. Josh Pickering 6.78 5. Chris Harris (G) 8.47 6. Jye Etheridge (G) 4.00 7. Jason Edwards (RS).
IPSWICH: 1. Emil Sayfutdinov 10.10 2. Erik Riss 4.84 3. Danny King 7.23 (c) 4. Keynan Rew 4.00 5. Jason Doyle 9.12 6. Danyon Hume 3.87 7. Joe Thompson (G) (RS).
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