SILVER FOR SHEFFIELD

SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead was gracious in defeat as his side had to settle for runners-up spot in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership.

The Tigers made an encouraging start to the second leg of the Grand Final to return to level pegging on aggregate after two races, but three 5-1s to Belle Vue in the next four heats took the tie away from the visitors.

Stead was still able to reflect on a season which saw the Tigers qualify for the play-offs once again and reach the title decider despite the huge loss of No.1 Jack Holder to injury in mid-June.

He said: “I think a silver medal is probably as good as we could’ve hoped for with the season that Belle Vue have had; they’ve been absolutely unbelievable all season, and credit to them.

“They’ve been at the top all year and you can’t take anything away from them.

“After a positive opening couple of races, it quickly got away from us and of course we’re disappointed.

“We can’t really have too many complaints; it’s a shame we couldn’t run Belle Vue closer than we did but as I said, we’ve been beaten by the better team and that’s just how it is.”

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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES