SHEFFIELD boss Simon Stead praised both his own and Wolverhampton’s riders for their attitude during Thursday night’s Sports Insure Premiership Play-Off Semi-Final decider at Owlerton.

Heavy rain hit the area around 30 minutes before start time creating far from ideal conditions.

Yet supporters were still served up some fantastic heats of Speedway before rain finally brought a halt to proceedings with ten races gone and the aggregate score put beyond any doubt.

“Credit to both teams,” Stead said.

“Track conditions were difficult with the rain that came down all night but there weren’t any whingers, they all got their heads down and they got us to ten races.

“Unfortunately there was just no let up in the weather to enable us to go any further than that and the track conditions deteriorated as the meeting went on.

“But we were still treated to some great racing and that’s down to the boys giving it 110 per cent and you can’t fault the effort at all.”

The 89-61 aggregate scoreline means they secured their place in the Premiership Grand Final for a second successive season – and after finishing runners-up by the narrowest of margins last term, Stead now has the silverware in his sights.

“I’m obviously really pleased,” he said.

“We’ve been working hard, we’ve had to patch things up and make the most of a difficult position.

“The lads who we’ve brought in have done a fantastic job, they’ve really bought into the Club and they’ve given their all.

“The supporters have been right behind us and it’s nice that we could pay that support back with another final – that’s two in two years but now we just want to go one better!”

Sheffield will travel to Ipswich on Monday (October 2, 7.30) for the first leg with the decider at Owlerton next Thursday (October 5, 7.30).

SHEFFIELD 39: Kyle Howarth 9+1, Robert Lambert 8+1, Chris Holder 6+1, Josh Pickering 6, Jason Edwards 4+1, Connor Mountain 3+1, Richard Lawson 3.
WOLVERHAMPTON 21: Luke Becker 5, Zach Cook 5, Leon Flint 4, Sam Masters 3, Steve Worrall 2+2, Rory Schlein 1, Ryan Douglas 1.
Sheffield win 89-61 on aggregate