STEAD: NOT QUITE ENOUGH

SHEFFIELD manager Simon Stead admitted his side had fallen just short as their reign as ROWE Motor Oil Premiership champions was ended by Roses rivals Belle Vue.

Just as in the 2022 Grand Final against the same opponents, the Tigers found a 12-point first leg deficit just too much to overcome at Owlerton as the Aces booked a title deciding clash with Leicester next week.

Stead said: “It was a good fight and they carried on believing right to the end, so I can’t fault the effort.

“We just came up short in some departments, and we needed a full one-to-seven doing their bit tonight and it didn’t quite click for whatever reason.

“Ultimately we’ve raced over 30 heats and Belle Vue have come out on top, so we have to accept that, build for next year and go again, and well done to Belle Vue.”

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Photo credit: IAN CHARLES