SHEFFIELD are joint leaders of the Premiership Pairs after another solid showing at Ipswich on Thursday.
Just as they did at Peterborough in Round One last month, the Tru Plant Tigers topped the qualifying heats, this time with an impressive total of 29 points.
That sent them straight through to the Grand Final where they faced hosts Ipswich who had got the better of Belle Vue in the Semi-Final.
There was an avoidable, unnecessary red-light stoppage as the riders readied themselves for the last heat showdown, and the confusion appeared to unsettle the Sheffield riders.
When the tapes did rise, Tobiasz Musielak and Adam Ellis had no answer to home pairing Jason Doyle and Troy Batchelor though as the hosts claimed second round victory.
Team boss Simon Stead said: “The boys rode really well tonight and while it could’ve been more and as much as I’m frustrated, I’d prefer to focus on the positives.
“It’s another good result for us, more points on the board and we’re joint leaders overall.”
Tobiasz Musielak, who replaced Jack Holder from the opening round, won two and earned three second places in his qualifying heats while Adam Ellis led a 7-2 in the opener before back-to-back second places.
Rising Star Connor Mountain was given his outing in Sheffield’s second race - and he got the better of Ipswich’s Danyon Hume for third.
Sheffield are back in action next Thursday (June 23, 7.30) when they travel to King’s Lynn in the Premiership.
PREMIERSHIP PAIRS Round 2, Ipswich QUALIFYING SCORES: SHEFFIELD 29: Tobiasz Musielak 17, Adam Ellis 10, Connor Mountain (RS) 2. BELLE VUE 24: Brady Kurtz 16, Matej Zagar 8, Tom Brennan (RS) 0. IPSWICH 24: Jason Doyle 17, Troy Batchelor 7, Danyon Hume (RS) 0. KING’S LYNN 23; Josh Pickering 15, Richard Lawson 8, Jake Mulford (RS) 0. PETERBOROUGH 21: Chris Harris 13, Hans Andersen 8, Jordan Jenkins (RS) 0. WOLVERHAMPTON 14: Sam Masters 14, Ryan Douglas 0, Leon Flint (RS) 0.
