Sheffield Tigers v Ipswich Witches

SHEFFIELD moved to the top of the Premiership with a 43-35 win over Ipswich in a match curtailed due to the curfew at Owlerton.

Witches skipper Danny King was involved in a heavy Heat 7 crash which was followed by a lengthy delay for fence repairs on turn two, and King was withdrawn from the meeting.

The Tigers moved eight points up with a 5-1 in Heat 12, and the last action of the night turned out be the first lap of Heat 14 when Ipswich’s Paul Starke crashed on the third bend.

Jason Doyle scored a 12-point maximum for the visitors – and was leading Heat 14 when it was stopped – whilst Justin Sedgmen proved a successful guest for the home side with 10+3 at reserve.

Sheffield boss Simon Stead said: “I’d like to say a big thank you to all the track staff who worked super hard to make sure we had a meeting – because without that, we would’ve had to have called it a day there and then.

“Yes it was frustrating, yes there was a delay but the fact we managed to get through to a result in the end was a good thing.

“As for the result, that was the result we needed. They made us work hard for it which we knew they were going to do.”

Ipswich manager Ritchie Hawkins said: “Danny’s crash was a bit of a turning point in the meeting. I think he’ll be okay, but there was a big interval, a big hold-up whilst they were trying to fix the fence after the crash, whereas I think if we’d been able to get straight on with it, he would probably have carried on.

“It was a big crash for Starkey as well, and I thought he rode a lot better than four points tonight – but I think he’ll be fine too.”

SHEFFIELD 43: Justin Sedgmen 10+3, Tobiasz Musielak 9+1, Kyle Howarth 9, Adam Ellis 7, Jack Holder 6+3, Connor Mountain 2, Craig Cook r/r.
IPSWICH 35: Jason Doyle 12, Erik Riss 9, Danyon Hume 7+1, Paul Starke 4, Troy Batchelor 1+1, Broc Nicol 1+1, Danny King 1+1.
Abandoned after 13 Heats (Curfew) – Result stands

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Photo credit: CHARLOTTE FLANIGAN