SHEFFIELD extended their lead at the top of the ROWE Motor Oil Premiership with an impressive comeback at Ipswich.
The Tru7 Group Tigers were eight points down with six races gone, but a strong second half showing saw them turn things around to win 52-38.
It meant they collected all three points on offer at Foxhall and are now four clear of Ipswich - as well as Leicester who are now joint second on 34.
Jack Holder denied the hosts a 5-1 in the opener when he came under Witches’ guest Troy Batchelor to take second place on the entry to lap four but fellow guest Dan Bewley, who won the British Grand Prix on Saturday, was clear out front.
Youngster Luke Harrison, in for regular Rising Star Dan Gilkes who was ruled out with an eye infection, was excluded for falling on the initial run of Heat Two. The re-run saw Jason Edwards benefit from an error by Jordan Jenkins to hand him second place in another 4-2 to Ipswich.
Dan Thompson took the chequered flag for the hosts in Heat Three but there was some confusion behind him when Josh Pickering thought he saw a red flag following a fall for home skipper Danny King.
Ipswich then doubled their advantage with a comfortable 5-1 in Heat Four to move 16-8 ahead.
King led a 3-3 in the fifth with Jack Holder creating a gap for Kyle Howarth to come through for third before a fired-up Pickering became the first Tigers race winner in another share of the spoils in Heat Six.
Pickering made it successive victories in the seventh - but this time the Owlerton outfit landed their first advantage with Chris Holder joining him for a big 5-1.
After an Ipswich 4-2 in Heat Eight, Sheffield boss Simon Stead then nominated Pickering as a Tactical Substitute in the ninth - and he and Jack Holder outgated their opponents to move within two of the Witches.
A second successive maximum then followed with Pickering and Chris Holder at it again away from the tapes - before Howarth and Jack Holder made it four in five races to open up a six point lead.
That promoted home manager Ritchie Hawkins to use Bewley as his tactical substitute in Heat 12 - but Chris Holder rode a dominant first lap to maintain the Tigers’ advantage.
The Holder brothers then combined for another comfortable 5-1 in Heat 13 before Pickering officially mathematically sealed the deal with a cracking opening lap in the penultimate race.
Tigers then wrapped things up in style in Heat 15 with one final maximum, with Howarth taking second to finish in paid double figures whilst Pickering won to total 18+2 - a breathtaking paid 20 score which he also recently managed for Championship side Edinburgh.
The Tru7 Group Tigers are back in action with a big Bank Holiday Monday (August 26) double against rivals Belle Vue. They travel to Manchester for a 12 noon start before hosting the Aces in South Yorkshire at 7.30pm.
Before that though, there is National Development League action at Owlerton this Thursday (August 22, 7.30pm) as the Sheffield Autocraft Tiger Cubs take on leaders Leicester.
IPSWICH 38: Dan Bewley 9+1, Danny King 8+2, Troy Batchelor 7, Jordan Jenkins 5+1, Keynan Rew 5, Dan Thompson 4+1, Jason Doyle r/r. SHEFFIELD 52: Josh Pickering 18+2, Jack Holder 12+1, Chris Holder 11+3, Kyle Howarth 9+2, Jason Edwards 2, Luke Harrison 0, Tai Woffinden r/r. Sheffield win the aggregate point
