Sheffield Tigers v Leicester Lions

Report

SHEFFIELD finally ended their Leicester jinx with victory at the sixth time of asking this season as they defeated the Lions 50-40 at Owlerton.

Jack Holder scored a 14+1 paid maximum from five rides for the Tigers, who also took the aggregate point and are now second in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership, and are the only side who can catch leaders Ipswich.

Sheffield opened the meeting with two 5-1s in the first three races to go eight points up, although the Lions did mount a comeback from 14 points down to force a last-heat decider on aggregate.

Holder was backed up by an all-round display which saw five of the home side winning at least one race, whilst Max Fricke racked up 14 points from six rides for the Lions and Ryan Douglas added 10+1.

Tigers skipper Josh Pickering said: “They’re a great team, they’ve been good all year and they’ve had good riders in the right positions which has continued to make them strong the whole way through.

“So for us to turn them over the way we did and get the aggregate win is most important, but I felt the track was more of a racetrack as well.

“It was a great effort throughout, even if we’re not getting heat advantages, as long as we’re not getting a disadvantage and we’re getting those 3-3s that’s what we need.”

Douglas said: “It wasn’t our best performance here obviously, but it wasn’t bad.

“It’s one of those ones where we can take a lesson from it and if we have to come back here I’m sure we can keep it a bit closer.

“A few of us tried a few different bits of equipment tonight, myself included. I think we’re still riding good and we’ll just keep chipping away.”

SHEFFIELD 50: Jack Holder 14+1, Leon Flint 8+1, Josh Pickering 8, Nick Morris 7+2, Anders Rowe 6, Chris Holder 5, Jye Etheridge 2+1.
LEICESTER 40: Max Fricke 14, Ryan Douglas 10+1, Sam Masters 6+1, Luke Becker 4+1, Kyle Howarth 3, Drew Kemp 3, Joe Thompson 0.
Sheffield win the aggregate point

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Photo credit: CHARLOTTE FLANIGAN

Watch action from Heat 6 (courtesy of CLEAN CUT SPORTS)