SHEFFIELD are building up to the home leg of their ROWE Motor Oil Premiership Play-Off Semi-Final against Leicester this Thursday (September 18).

The two sides were due to meet at the Lions’ Hydroscand Arena on Monday night but that was postponed on Sunday due to their track being left in a ‘saturated condition’ following significant rainfall over the weekend.

It means Thursday’s home tie now becomes the first leg with the decider now at Leicester next Monday (September 22, 7.30pm).

Tigers bosses have revealed that they were offered the opportunity to keep the second leg - but took people around the club into consideration.

Owner Damien Bates said: “As soon as the play-off dates were announced, I know we had supporters and volunteers who swapped work shifts and things like that to make sure they could be at our home leg of the semi-finals.

“At such short notice, the likelihood is that they wouldn’t have been able to change those things back and we didn’t want them to miss out on our biggest meeting of the season to date because of that.

“Don’t get me wrong, it would’ve been nice to have had the deciding leg at Sheffield because you know exactly what you need to do on your home track, but it doesn’t change too much I guess and now we’ll just know what we need to do at Leicester instead - and hopefully go there with a lead, and a fairly healthy one at that!

“We’ve had some pretty good crowds at Sheffield this year and I know Steady (Simon Stead - team manager) has said before how the riders have responded to the bigger crowds and the atmosphere they’ve created - so hopefully we’ll get a really good turnout on Thursday and those cheering on Sheffield help the team get the win.”

Parade is set to take place around 7.30pm with TNT Sports going live on air at 7.45pm with Heat One expected at 7.50pm.

A reminder that prices have been frozen for the semi-final meaning that admission on the night will remain at £25 adults, £23 concessions (over 65s and students - both with evidence), £5 juniors (aged 12-17), whilst it’s just £1 for all kids aged 11 and under.

A reminder also that Season Tickets are not valid for the play-offs but holders will be able to collect their signed team photograph once through the turnstiles ahead of the clash against the Lions.

Meanwhile, supporters are also reminded that anyone who didn’t claim a refund before the set deadline from the postponed clash against Ipswich (August 28) can either use their re-admission tickets for the play-off semi-final against Leicester next Thursday or the rearranged Ipswich fixture (date TBC) ONLY.

Said Bates: “Now the Grand Final dates have been agreed and pushed back for the first week of October, we know what we can work around now regarding the outstanding regular league meeting against Ipswich.

“We’ll work with them once we’ve spoken to the stadium and we’ll confirm a new date as soon as we can.”