Speedway: Sheffield Tigers 35 Newcastle Diamonds 55

Newcastle were the latest rivals to romp to a win at Owlerton, winning by 55-35 on another miserable night for the Tigers fans.

Without injured No.1 Charles Wright, the home side always looked vulnerable with new signings Kasper Andersen and Connor Mountain facing home debuts.

Stead admitted: “I really feel for the fans. We’ve gone from league champions to really struggling.

“We just didn’t see this happening. Since winning the Pairs in July, the wheels have just come off and it’s hard to explain.

“It’s not for the lack of effort. Everyone is working very hard to put this right. We somehow need to re-group. But it’s hard to accept and we are all devastated.”

The latest horror show began to unfold in Heat 3 as the Diamonds took a 5-1 over new boy Andersen and Broc Nicol.

Over the next three heats, the wheels once again came off the Owlerton outfit, the lack of confidence decimating the side clearly evident.

At the end of Heat 6 it was game over once again. The Geordie boys had run riot into a 14-point lead with only Kyle Howarth and Todd Kurtz offering any real resistance to the onslaught.

But it just got worse for the loyal Tigers fans. The margin of loss just continued to grow and when the impressive Finn Tero Aarnio and veteran battler Stuart Robson relegated Howarth to the back in Heat 11, the home side were staring down the barrel of a 20-point deficit.

Guest Jason Garrity produced a brave ride to pass Robson in Heat 13 to try and restore some respectability with Howarth for a 5-1. But it was very much too little too late.

Sheffield 35: Kyle Howarth 13, Todd Kurtz 9+1, Connor Mountain 4, Jason Garrity 3+1, Kasper Andersen 3, James Shanes 3, Broc Nicol 0.

Newcastle 55: Tero Aarnio 15, Matej Kus 12+1, Matthew Wethers 9, Carl Wilkinson 7+2, Ashley Morris 6+3, Stuart Robson 6+3.