Speedway: Injury-hit Sheffield Tigers call upon champion Nick Morris

Nick Morris has been drafted in by Sheffield Tigers

The Aussie ace won the title on a memorable night at Glasgow and fills the gap left by injured No.1 Josh Grajczonek.

But with Kyle Howarth still sidelined and Josh Bates ruled out with a pulled neck muscle, it means Tigers head to the East Midlands with just one of their regular top four riders.

It’s a nightmare scenario for Simon Stead’s men whose dream of promotion is already over after last week’s 58-32 first leg defeat.

But there’s pride at stake for the Owlerton outfit after an unforgettable season which saw them win the league.

Since that unforgettable night at Ipswich when they were crowned champions for the first time in 15 years, Tigers have won just one of their last four meetings.

They were soundly beaten 54-38 at Newcastle last night in their final away fixture of the season.

Tigers got off to a steady start with guest No.1 Scott Nicholls and Jan Graversen taking the chequered flag in the opening races, but team-mates Todd Kurtz and Georgie Wood were unable to find a way through from the back to turn them into heat advantages.

Then began the Newcastle onslaught as they registered six successive heat advantages, including three 5-1 maximums, as they outgated the Tigers from the starting tapes.

When Lasse Bjerre was nominated for double points in Heat Nine, he was only able to split the home duo of Ludvig Lindgren and Stuart Robson - a share of the spoils leaving Tigers 16 points adrift.

But on a night of little passing, Bjerre and Nicholls could only muster up the other two Tigers race wins in Heats 12 and 15 respectively on another tough night for patched-up Sheffield.

SHEFFIELD SCORERS

Tigers 38: Scott Nicholls 11, Lasse Bjerre 9, Jan Graversen 8+1, Ty Proctor 8, Todd Kurtz 2+1, Georgie Wood 0, Josh Bates R/R.

TONIGHT’S TEAMS:

LEICESTER: Kim Nilsson, Michael Palm Toft, Pawel Przedpelski R/R, Erik Riss, Danny King, Cameron Heeps, James Sarjeant.

SHEFFIELD: Nick Morris, Todd Kurtz, Ty Proctor, Josh Bates R/R, Lasse Bjerre, Jan Graversen, Georgie Wood.