Wolverhampton Wolves v Sheffield Tigers

Report

SHEFFIELD booked their place in the Premiership KO Cup Final after a successful rearguard action at Wolverhampton on Monday.

The Tigers were grateful for their 18-point lead from the first leg as Wolves hit back strongly to win 52-38 on the night with Steve Worrall scoring a 14+1 paid maximum.

But it was a Heat 13 5-1 from the Tigers’ top two of Tobiasz Musielak (10) and Jack Holder (9+1) which put the visitors back in charge, and Adam Ellis secured their progression in the penultimate race.

Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “Ultimately, we got the job done. We came here knowing we needed to get to 37 points and, okay, by hook or by crook, that’s what we did.

“There were some really good performances and lads who came up with big rides at just the right time and that got us out of trouble.

“For a neutral fan then I’m sure it was a great meeting – but my nerves were shot!”

Worrall said: “It was a big points deficit to claw back and it’s our own fault because we let it slip towards the end at Sheffield.

“If we’d have been able to cling onto what we had there, we’d have been able to go into Heat 15 doing battle to get into that Final or more than likely, we’d have already been there.

“It just wasn’t meant to be but hats off to Sheffield, over the two legs they were the better team.”

PREMIERSHIP KO CUP, SEMI-FINAL, 2nd leg
WOLVERHAMPTON 52: Steve Worrall 14+1, Zach Cook 11+2, Sam Masters 9+2, Ryan Douglas 8+1, Luke Becker 5+1, Rory Schlein 4, Leon Flint 1.
SHEFFIELD 38: Tobiasz Musielak 10, Jack Holder 9+1, Kyle Howarth 8+1, Lewis Kerr 5, Adam Ellis 5, Dan Gilkes 1+1, David Bellego r/r.
Sheffield win 92-88 on aggregate

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Photo credit: PAUL ROSE