TIGERS SPOIL LAGUTA DEBUT

SHEFFIELD ran riot at King’s Lynn with a huge 59-31 away win to move back into the top four of the Sports Insure Premiership table.

The meeting marked the UK debut of new Stars signing Artem Laguta but that was overshadowed by the Tigers, who extended their stunning record of success at the Adrian Flux Arena.

Former King’s Lynn rider Lewis Kerr and Polish ace Tobiasz Musielak both scored 13+2 paid maximums whilst Jack Holder was also unbeaten with 12 from four rides, including the move of the night to pass Laguta in Heat 6.

Laguta top-scored for the Stars with 9+1, but they were able to provide just three race wins on their own circuit.

Sheffield manager Simon Stead said: “We needed that. We’ve had a few fixtures away from home where we haven’t performed as we should have done.

“But we were dominant and back to something like what I know we’re capable of.

“There was a lot of talk about Artem and them in the build-up, it’s great to see him in British Speedway and fair play to King’s Lynn because they’ve pulled one out of the bag there.

“But we needed to remove ourselves from that hype, get off on the front foot, come here and do the job, and we’ve done just that.”

Stars boss Alex Brady said: “We started terribly. The track tonight was what six of the boys had asked for, the starts were grippier and it’s really disappointing from my perspective that we couldn’t make the starts.

“The track was fast and we just couldn’t make ground up. Overall it was a really, really disappointing night and I’m sorry to everyone who came because it’s not the way it should have gone.

“Sheffield had some outstanding performances, but we weren’t good enough either, and for me personally it’s a long look in the mirror this weekend about where we go from here.”

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Photo credit: DEREK LEADER