Belle Vue Aces v Sheffield Tigers

Report

SHEFFIELD moved to within four points of the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership after winning a weather-affected derby clash at Belle Vue on Monday lunchtime.

The Tigers ended the Aces’ unbeaten home record with a fast-gating performance to win 35-25, with the result called after ten races.

Rain before and during the meeting caused delays, and the efforts of the Aces’ track staff to recover the circuit from another heavy downpour after Heat 10 proved to be in vain.

Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “First and foremost, rider safety has to come into play; the referee (Dave Watters) gave Belle Vue adequate time to do as much as they could to try and make the track safe and raceable.

“Unfortunately, after a long, long wait that wasn’t the case but if we focus on the positives we’ve come to Belle Vue and we’ve got a win.”

Belle Vue CEO Mark Lemon said: “If we can be guilty of anything, it’s trying too hard to see the meeting reach a Heat 15 conclusion.

“All indications after Heat 10 suggested the weather had cleared up and that no further rain was forecast, the sun shone just 10 minutes after the last downpour whilst the track was undergoing remedial works and the forecast indicated that all showers had passed.

“I feel I’ve spent my entire season to date looking at weather forecasts and I don’t think we’ve got many wrong. Sometime your luck runs out and things don’t always go your way, and that was today.”

ROWE MOTOR OIL PREMIERSHIP R1
BELLE VUE 25: Ben Cook 7, Jaimon Lidsey 6+1, Norick Blodorn 6, Connor Mountain 4, Dan Bewley 2+1, Connor Bailey 0, Brady Kurtz r/r.
SHEFFIELD 35: Chris Holder 7+1, Tai Woffinden 7, Tom Brennan 5+1, Jack Holder 5, Kyle Howarth 4+3, Jason Edwards 4, Dan Gilkes 3.
Abandoned after Heat 10 (Rain) – Result stands.

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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES