LEICESTER 42 TIGERS 47

Saturday August 26, 2023
SHEFFIELD took another big step towards the Sports Insure Premiership play-offs with another maximum points haul at Leicester.

The Tru Plant Tigers produced a brilliant late show to win 47-42 as they successfully backed up Thursday’s home triumph over Wolverhampton.

It moves the Owlerton outfit up to third, three points ahead of Leicester who sit outside the top four.

Sheffield took an early lead when guest No.1 Ryan Douglas held off Grand Prix star Max Fricke to open proceedings with a 4-2.

But the hosts moved in front with a 5-1 in Heat Two before Josh Pickering took the chequered flag in the first shared race of the night in the third.

The Tigers retook the lead though with successive 5-1s.

Tai Woffinden and Lewis Kerr linked up for their latest maximum in the fourth before Sheffield turned a 5-1 on its head in Heat Five with Douglas and Pickering working their way through.

Home skipper Fricke produced a hard ride to get past Woffinden in Heat Six before heading a 5-1 as a tactical substitute in the seventh.

But Sheffield restored their six point advantage when new signing Jason Edwards partnered Kerr for a third 5-1 in Heat Eight.

Woffinden won the ninth before Leicester clawed a couple of points back with a 4-2 in Heat Ten.

Then came a moment of controversy; Edwards made a super start to hit the front but on lap two Douglas was on the wrong side of a 50/50 call despite some contact with Jake Allen.

The race was ordered to be rerun and the hosts struck a 5-1 to draw back level.

The lead was Leicester’s once again in Heat 12 when they were handed a rare 5-0 with Pickering’s bike packing up on the start line before Kerr was deemed to have brought down Drew Kemp on the final lap.

But determined not to be beaten, Sheffield rolled their sleeves up and delivered another big finish.

Douglas picked himself up to win Heat 13 in style with Woffinden fending off the charge of Fricke before Edwards and Kerr made it back-to-back 5-1s to put the Tigers in the driving seat, three points up heading into the final race.

Woffinden went from third to first over the course of the opening lap and with Douglas pressurising Fricke, the 4-2 secured the victory.

The Tru Plant Tigers busy schedule continues with a Bank Holiday Monday (August 28, 8pm) trip to Wolverhampton.

LEICESTER 42: Max Fricke 14, Richard Lawson 7+1, Jake Allen 6+2, Richie Worrall 6+1, Drew Kemp 6+1, Justin Sedgmen 3+1, Craig Cook 0.
SHEFFIELD 47: Tai Woffinden 13+1, Ryan Douglas 10, Lewis Kerr 9+4, Josh Pickering 8+1, Jason Edwards 7, Kyle Howarth 0, Adam Ellis R/R.
Sheffield win the aggregate point 101-78

Photo credit: STEVE DIXON

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