SHEFFIELD suffered their first defeat in five matches when going down to a dramatic 44-40 Premier League defeat against Birmingham at Owlerton.

This saw the meeting aborted with one race to go following a frightening heat 15 crash involving Brummies Canadian star Kyle Legault and Tigers duo Ben Wilson and Andre Compton.

Legault suffered the worst of it and had to be taken to hospital after aggravating the leg he hurt earlier this season and Compton suffered bad bruising and is now a doubt for Sunday’s return in the Midlands.

Up until that point both teams had provided some of the best action seen at the stadium this season. The meeting ebbed and flowed throughout and there was nothing between the two teams as they were tied at 27-27 after nine races.

The Brummies got their noses back in front following a Jason Lyons and Legault 4-2 in heat 10, and four more in heat 13 from Tomas Piszcz and Craig Watson put the Midland side into a strong position as the meeting reached its climax. Legault maintained the four-point gap with a tapes-to-flag win in the penultimate race, but then came the drama of heat 15.

In the last heat decider, Wilson locked up in front of Compton and Legault on the third bend causing all three riders to hit the Owlerton fence with some force. With the safety fence badly damaged and the time curfew approaching the meeting was eventually abandoned. The result, however, will stand.

SHEFFIELD: Joel Parsons 10+1, Ben Powell 9+2, Andre Compton 7+1, Ben Wilson 7+1, Paul Cooper 6, Kyle Hughes 1+1, Rick Ashworth R/R

BIRMINGHAM: Jason Lyons 11+1, Kyle Legault 8, Craig Watson 8, Tomasz Piszcz 8, James Cockle 7+1, Jay Herne 1+1, Jack Roberts 1