SHEFFIELD star Jack Holder stormed to a stunning 18 point maximum against Leicester - but it wasn’t enough to stop his side slipping to their first home defeat of the season.
The Tru Plant Tigers were beaten 46-44 by the in-form Lions as the hosts were made to pay for a sluggish start in the Steel City.
The visitors were much sharper out of the gates in the early exchanges with three 5-1s in the opening six races helping them open up a 12 point lead.
Holder and Kyle Howarth responded in Heat Seven with a 4-2 and with the tactical option still open to him, team boss Simon Stead put Holder in Heat Nine in place of Adam Ellis.
The Aussie charged to the front and was joined by new signing Josh Pickering as a first 5-1 of the contest saw them back to within six.
Leicester looked set to respond in the tenth, but an alarming last lap spill for their captain Chris Harris let Sheffield off the hook.
Their bad luck would come in the very next race though; they were well on course for a 4-2 before mechanical problems for Howarth off the final bend allowed former Tiger Justin Sedgmen through for third.
The deficit was eight points by the time Heat 13 came around as Holder eased to victory while Tobiasz Musielak was passed by Max Fricke.
But one of the races of the season saw Sheffield turn a 5-1 against into a 4-2 in their favour as Pickering produced a breathtaking move to go from third to first before Howarth fired his way past Harris to claim the minor point.
That set up a last heat decider with Sheffield requiring a 5-1 to force a super heat.
Holder again proved untouchable yet despite the best efforts of Musielak who tested every racing line possible, Fricke held onto second to seal victory for the visitors.
Next Thursday (June 29, 7.30) sees all seven top-flight clubs head to Leicester’s Pidcock Motorcycles Arena for the 2023 Sports Insure Premiership Pairs with the Tigers next team action on Monday, July 3 (7.30) when they host Peterborough at Owlerton.
SHEFFIELD 44: Jack Holder 18, Kyle Howarth 8+1, Josh Pickering 6+1, Tobiasz Musielak 5, Lewis Kerr 3+2, Dan Gilkes 3, Adam Ellis 1. LEICESTER 46: Max Fricke 10, Justin Sedgmen 9+2, Richard Lawson 9, Jake Allen 7+1, Nick Morris 5+1, Chris Harris 4+1, Drew Kemp 2. Leicester win aggregate point 99-81.
