TIGERS co-promoter David Hoggart was full of praise for his team despite their 48-42 defeat at Somerset last night.

Sheffield were leading with three heats remaining and looked set for a possible away win, but they lost Richard Hall to a foot injury in heat 14 and the Rebels eventually won it in a last heat decider.

Hoggart said: “The team performance at Somerset was incredible and the lads can be forgiven for feeling robbed - they rode their hearts out.

“Obviously losing Richard when we were on a maximum race advantage took its toll. Not only did we lose him from heat 14, but the injury meant we could not use him in 15. Had we been able to do so it would have been a very different result.

"Expecting Ricky Ashworth and Paul Cooper to maximise the race points over Steve Johnston and Cory Gathercole in heat 15 was a big ask - but what a race!!

“Johnno and Ricky passed and re-passed every lap to bring the house down and there was a tremendous show of sporting applause from the Somerset fans for both riders.”