SHEFFIELD experienced pain and heartbreak at the Oak Tree Arena when slipping to a 48-42 Premier League defeat to Somerset.

The Tigers had made a real fight of it and were leading with three races remaining, only for the Rebels to finish strongly and hold on for victory in a last-heat decider.

And to add to their disappointment they lost Richard Hall with a suspected broken foot in the penultimate heat. Hall fell whilst leading when on a 5-1 with Chris Mills, but despite the injury he’s expected to ride in Sunday’s encounter at Newcastle.

It had all started promisingly for Sheffield, despite being without Josh Auty following a crash the previous night. Ricky Ashworth got them off to a good start by beating Steve Johnston in the opener and then Paul Cooper and Mills registered Tigers’ first 5-1 in heat 2.

The Rebels hit back in the next race only for Hugh Skidmore to pass Simon Walker in heat 5 with Ashworth doing likewise to put the visitors 17-13 up.

In a see-saw match, Rebels again levelled when Cooper and Skidmore couldn’t stop Walker and Emil Kramer in heat 9, and then Joel Parsons pulled off a good win in the heat 10 when he beat Johnston, with Hall’s extra point putting Tigers two points up.

The next two heats were shared leaving Sheffield 37-35 up with three races to go, but Somerset edged ahead when Cory Gathercole and Johnston stormed to a 5-1 in heat 13.

Hall and Mills looked set to regain the lead for the Tigers when they hit the front in heat 14, but Hall lifted and fell and Mills had to lay his bike down to avoid him. Mills then won the re-run restricting the Rebels lead to just two points.

Unfortunately there were no last heat heroics from Ashworth and Cooper as Gathercole and Johnston powered away for a match-winning 5-1, although Tigers did take a bonus point for their efforts.

SOMERSET 48: Cory Gathercole 14, Steve Johnston 11+2, Simon Walker 8+1, Emil Kramer 8+1, Tom Brown 3+2, Nick Simmons 2+2, Justin Sedgmen 2

SHEFFIELD 42: Ricky Ashworth 10+1, Paul Cooper 8+2, Chris Mills 7+1, Richard Hall 6, Hugh Skidmore 6, Joel Parsons 5+2, Josh Auty (Rider Replacement)