TIGERS OUTPOINT ACES IN ROSES BATTLE

BELLE Vue raced to a thrilling 46-44 home win over Sheffield on Bank Holiday Monday lunchtime – but the Tigers turned the tables with a big victory in the return fixture.

It was the Owerton outfit who took the majority of ROWE Motor Oil Premiership points from the day as they won 57-33 on home shale to also secure the aggregate point.

They were well placed in Manchester for much of the afternoon, with the Aces recovering an eight-point deficit to finally level the scores in Heat 14 before Dan Bewley and Brady Kurtz pulled off a match-winning 4-2, split by Jack Holder, in the decider.

Kurtz and Bewley recovered from slow starts in their opening rides to score 12 and 10+1 respectively, whilst Holder scored 11+1 for the Tigers and Rising Star reserve Leon Flint chipped in with 9+1.

Then in the evening in South Yorkshire the Tigers dominated throughout with six 5-1s in the first ten races to open up a 22-point advantage.

Captain Josh Pickering scored 13+1 from five rides and Holder added 11+1 in a terrific team display with reserves Lewis Kerr and Flint totalling 16+2 between them. Bewley scored 12 from six outings for the Aces.

Tigers boss Simon Stead said: “We’re the much happier team after the 30 races and I’m proud of the lads and really pleased for the supporters.

“Of course we were disappointed that we couldn’t hang on at their place, especially after we’d got off to such a strong start and got ourselves in a pretty good position.

“But I think when you look at it overall, to only lose by two points at Belle Vue was a good effort from the lads and don’t forget, we forced them into a tactical as well.

“It left us coming back to Sheffield with a lot of belief and we just carried on where we left off and just did what we have been doing at home since the season started.”

* Watch Heat 9 of Sheffield v Belle Vue (courtesy of CLEAN CUT SPORTS)

OFFICIAL REFEREE SCORECARDS
Belle Vue v Sheffield – here
Sheffield v Belle Vue – here

Photo credit: CHARLOTTE FLANIGAN