NICK Morris anticipates a tough challenge against a new-look Leicester Lions team at the Abbey Stadium tonight.

The Swindon Robins skipper, who took over captaincy duties from the departing Jason Doyle at the start of the season, has been impressed by the team Simon Stead has formed at Beaumont Park.

Grand Prix favourite Martin Vaculik leads the Lions and is backed up by international racers Hans Andersen, Danny King and Josh Bates.

Stead has also drafted in Polish talent Krystian Pieszczek from Gdansk for his debut year in British speedway while Michael Palm Toft, Kyle Newman and James Sarjeant complete the seven.

And it’s a seven-strong team that could go far according to Morris, who spoke highly of the Lions team.

He said: “Leicester have put a really good team together for this year. There are actually a lot of good teams in the league.

“There won’t be any easy meetings, but we’ve got a solid team as well so we’re going to plug away.

“It’s a long season, we’ve seen some riders already forced out with injuries already, so our plan has to be to stay injury free and gain as many points possible.”

Like the Robins, Leicester’s early dates in the season have been hit by weather.

The Lions are yet to race an away meeting this season having only competed once in a challenge match against Somerset Rebels, a meeting they won 46-44.

Meanwhile the Robins have raced two meetings, both against Belle Vue Aces, with one of those being at home.

And Morris was pleased with how the Abbey Stadium track held up during its first 15 races of the year.

He said: “The track’s been fine, it’s pretty normal really.

“We’ve only done one meeting and the track was quite slick which is good for the start of the season.

“It will be good to do a few meetings once this rain clears.”