SHEFFIELD gave their play-off hopes a massive lift with a crucial 49-41 win at Ipswich on Monday.

Just like the previous week at King’s Lynn, a solid all-round team effort gave them all four league points and this time against their closest rivals for the top four.

Adam Ellis continued his fine form in TruPlant Tigers colours with 12+2 and Jack Holder recovered from a slow start to card 11+1 and was unbeaten in his last four outings.

And boss Simon Stead dedicated the win to the travelling Tigers fans.

He said: “They were amazing. There was rain in the air and yet they turned out in force, it gives us such a big lift when we see them.

“I’m delighted and I’m sure they are too. We rode well as a unit and it’s big result in our aim to make the play-offs.

“We have to beat Wolves at home on Thursday now, we cannot take anything for granted.”

There was a nervous build-up to the meeting with rain in the air which stopped just in time to get racing underway.

Jake Allen made a flying start for Witches and with legendary triple World Champion Jason Crump passing Jack Holder for third it was a narrow 4-2 lead for the home team.

But Tigers bounced back superbly when guest Danyon Hume, a former Ipswich rider, got the better of Paul Starke and with Stefan Nielsen third scores were level.

The Simon Stead’s team took the lead for the first time when Troy Batchelor made an electric start and despite the efforts of home hero Danny King up the inside he pulled clear for a 4-2 alongside skipper Howarth.

Holder pulled off a smart move in Heat 5 to pass King down the back straight and with Tigers on a 4-2 they went four points clear.

Crump swept across superbly from gate four in Heat 10 to win for Ipswich with Howarth second and Batchelor had to work hard to keep Allen at bay to keep Tigers 31-29 up.

Holder and Pickering teamed up for a Tigers maximum in Heat 11 to put them 36-30 up – but Crump came in as a tactical sub in the next to join forces with King for a maximum in response with with three heats remaining Sheffield were two to the good.

Class act Holder made a dream start to the vital Heat 13 and was joined by Ellis to restore the six-point lead for Sheffield with only two heats remaining.

Ipswich gave themselves hope of rescuing a draw in Heat 14 with a 4-2 when Howarth fell.

In the decider, King lost control of the bike and was excluded, handing Tigers a brilliant away win – but the rerun was about how many they could win by. They duly obliged for all four points with Ellis and Holder delivering the goods with a 5-1.

Tigers are back at Owlerton on Thursday when they face fellow title hopefuls Wolverhampton in what should be a close contest.

IPSWICH: Paul Starke 11, Danny King 10, Jason Crump 9+1, Jake Allen 4+1, Craig Cook 4+1, Drew Kemp 2, Anders Rowe 1+1.

SHEFFIELD: Adam Ellis 12+2, Jack Holder 11+1, Josh Pickering 6+2, Danyon Hume 6, Kyle Howarth 5, Stefan Nielsen 5, Troy Batchelor 4+1.