SHEFFIELD booked their place in the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership play-offs with a comprehensive 55-35 home win over Birmingham.
The Tru7 Group Tigers also moved to the top of the table in the process with Ipswich losing heavily at home to in-form Leicester.
After a couple of close contests in recent Owlerton outings, Sheffield were comfortable throughout against the Brummies who fell to their 13th straight defeat.
The opening race was shared with Wiktor Lampart taking the chequered flag for the visitors on his first ever appearance in the Steel City.
But the Tigers then hit five straight advantages to take full control of the tie.
Jason Edwards won Heat Two whilst Rising Star Dan Gilkes got the better of his opposite number Leon Flint to edge the Tigers ahead.
Chris Holder was away and gone in Heat Three with all the action happening behind him with team-mate Josh Pickering producing a fine ride to go from fourth to second for the first 5-1 of the night.
That was quickly followed by another when Gilkes and captain Kyle Howarth gated in Heat Four and successfully kept British Grand Prix Wild Card Tom Brennan at bay.
Chris Holder made it two from two in the fifth whilst Pickering got past Zach Cook before pushing Swedish star Freddie Lindgren to the line.
Another 4-2 was then recorded in Heat Six as Jack Holder flew to his first race win whilst Howarth had to settle for third after trying every line possible to try and find a way past Brennan.
Jack Holder then made it back-to-back victories in Heat Seven, but for reserve partner Edwards, he couldn’t get amongst the points despite a brilliant effort against Cook.
Heat Eight saw Birmingham’s Flint make the start, only for Howarth to fly around the outside on the opening lap. Then, in the closing stages, Gilkes set after the visitors’ reserve and also found a way past on the final lap with another 5-1 putting the Tigers 18 points ahead.
The Brummies landed their first advantage in Heat Nine when tactical substitute Lindgren led a 4-2 with Pickering passing Brennan to deny them a maximum.
Jack Holder and Howarth then responded with a 4-2 of their own before the Lindgren/Brennan combination chipped in with another heat with that same scoreline.
Back-to-back 3-3s followed and with Chris Holder taking the flag in Heat 12, that was enough to secure the points on the night for the Tigers as well as their place in the top four.
The night was rounded off with two Sheffield 4-2s; Pickering made a rare gate to pick up his first race win in Heat 14 before Chris Holder added his fourth triumph to top the Tigers’ score chart.
Sheffield are back in action on Monday (August 19, 7.30pm) when they head to Ipswich in front of the Eurosport cameras.
SHEFFIELD 55: Chris Holder 14, Jack Holder 12+1, Kyle Howarth 10+1, Josh Pickering 9+2, Dan Gilkes 6+1, Jason Edwards 4, Tai Woffinden R/R. BIRMINGHAM 35: Freddie Lindgren 13, Wiktor Lampart 7+1, Zach Cook 5+1, Tom Brennan 5, Michael Palm Toft 4, Leon Flint 1, Piotr Pawlicki R/R. Sheffield win the aggregate point 102-78.
