Ipswich Witches v Sheffield Tigers

Report

SHEFFIELD extended their lead at the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership to four points with a spectacular comeback win at Ipswich on Monday.

The Tigers trailed by eight points after six races but turned the meeting around completely and eventually ran out 52-38 winners.

Aussie ace Josh Pickering was in spectacular form as he racked up 18+2 from seven rides, dropping his only point in his opening outing, and he received strong support from Jack Holder (12+1), Chris Holder (11+3) and Kyle Howarth (9+2).

But for the Witches, for whom guest Dan Bewley top-scored on 9+1, it was a second home defeat in five days and it underlined the injury problems they are currently facing.

Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “The track was the same for everybody, I never really like that excuse because everybody is riding it.

“But the fact that we just knuckled down and went about our business is the best thing I can say about this one.

“I think togetherness within the group helped turn things around; we had to work hard together to find that set-up that we were missing in the early heats. The gate swing also came our way and we took advantage of that.”

Ipswich boss Ritchie Hawkins said: “We started the meeting really well but threw a few points away and should have built a bigger lead.

“All in all, when they came back at us, we didn’t have a reply and that was mainly down to not having enough bodies in the team but overall, they were the better team on the night.

“At the moment we are too short of bodies and are not at our best, but this is the situation we are in, and we have to deal with it.”

IPSWICH 38: Dan Bewley 9+1, Danny King 8+2, Troy Batchelor 7, Jordan Jenkins 5+1, Keynan Rew 5, Dan Thompson 4+1, Jason Doyle r/r.
SHEFFIELD 52: Josh Pickering 18+2, Jack Holder 12+1, Chris Holder 11+3, Kyle Howarth 9+2, Jason Edwards 2, Luke Harrison 0, Tai Woffinden r/r.
Sheffield win the aggregate point

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Photo credit: JEFF HIGGOTT