Speedway: Kyle Howarth injury doubt as Sheffield prepare for Belle Vue play-off clash

The Tru7Group Tigers travel to the National Speedway Stadium on Monday for the first leg of their play-off semi final against the Aces, with their line-up set to be bolstered by former British champion Chris Harris.

Harris is guesting for the South Yorkshire club over the two legs as cover for Tai Woffinden, who has been out with a broken elbow since late June..

But they may be without captain Kyle Howarth for the away leg on Monday (September 16, 7.30pm).after he injured his wrist riding for Scunthorpe in the Championship on Friday.

The club said: “Captain Kyle Howarth will make a late call on his fitness having sustained a twisted wrist injury at Scunthorpe on Friday where he was advised to rest it over the weekend.”

The club says he will ride “if fit”.

The two clubs will be battling it out for a place in the grand final, against Leicester, who beat Ipswich over two legs last week.

Reigning champions Sheffield have never beaten Belle Vue in the play-offs, having lost to them in the semi-finals in 2021, and in the final in 2022.

Tigers team manager Simon Stead says the experiences of last year’s triumphant play-off campaign are spurring his side on.

He said: “These are the meetings and the nights we work hard towards being a part of all season long.”

“For some of the lads, they remember how they felt when we won the league title last October and the feeling they had on that occasion, they want to experience it all again.

“A play-off semi-final is a huge occasion anyway but the fact it’s against Belle Vue, a good old War of the Roses rivalry, adds that little bit of extra spice.

“Our three trips to Belle Vue have all been in the daytime so far this year and we expect it to be a little bit different with this one being on a night when the weather is much colder.

“But we’ll do the track walk, we’ll have a good chat as a team and we’ll keep the lads together and keep them discussing things all night long.

“It’s what happens over the 30 races that matters most, we saw that in the first semi-final between Leicester and Ipswich.

“As ever, we’ll be going there and giving it our all, backed by our amazing travelling supporters, and the lads will be giving it everything they’ve got.”

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Belle Vue boss Mark Lemon said: “Just like Sheffield, our boys know what it takes to win league titles, and this is the moment we have been working towards all season long.

“I have absolute belief that we can go all the way, but it certainly won’t be easy; it never is, particularly against the reigning champions.

“But we have what it takes. I know this team have plenty in the tank to apply themselves and, in some ways, I feel we enter the play offs as something of an underdog to Sheffield.

“The Tigers will, I’m certain, feel as we did this time last year. They want to retain their title and they’ll be feeling confident after recently securing the KOC silverware.

“But with a full team, and I say with everything crossed that the boys stay fit and safe, we will enter this final campaign with a strong underlying confidence and self-purpose.”

Belle Vue: Brady Kurtz, Norick Blodorn, Jaimon Lidsey, Ben Cook, Dan Bewley, Antti Vuolas, Jake Mulford.

Sheffield: Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth (if fit), Chris Holder, Josh Pickering, Chris Harris, Jason Edwards, Dan Gilkes.