SPEEDWAY: Dan Thompson bagged 11+1 points as defending champions Leicester Lions led from the first tape to beat Sheffield Tigers 46-44 in Thursday evening’s Knockout Cup fixture.

It sealed a 95-85 aggregate win for the Lions that puts them into the final against 2023’s winners Ipswich Witches.

Tobias Musielak bagged 12 points for the Witches as they came from six points down after four heats to overcome Northampton Foxes 47-43.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: The final round of regular season Super League actions tips off on Saturday with already crowned champions Sheffield Hatters at fourth-placed Oaklands.

The Hatters have won all three of the early season’s trophies and will head into the play-offs as the number one seeds.

Second-placed Caledonia are at Newcastle, Essex face Manchester, Nottingham play London and basement dwellers Cardiff Met seek their first win of the season at second-bottom Leicester.

DARTS: Luke Littler thumped Jonny Clayton 6-1 in the final of Thursday night’s Premier League round in Liverpool but remains three points behind the table-topping Welshman.

Gerwyn Price is a further 10 points back in third with Michael van Gerwen fourth.

Defending champion Luke Humphries sits two places below the play-off qualification zone and Josh Rock is still bottom after losing to van Gerwen in his first game.

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL: The first legs of the Champions League semi-finals kick off this weekend with Barcelona hoping to reach their sixth consecutive final when they travel to Bayern Munich on Saturday evening.

The Spaniards thumped Bayern 7-1 in October’s league phase game. Defending champions Arsenal host eight-time
winners Lyon at Ashburton Grove on Sunday afternoon in a repeat of 2025’s last four clash.

Lyon beat the Gunners 2-1 in the league phase.