Speedway: Kyle Howarth back to best as depleted Sheffield beat Leicester

There was plenty to celebrate for Sheffield after their Rowe Motor Oil Speedway Premiership clash with Leicester at Owlerton.

For a start there was team number one, Jack Holder’s news that he had become a father for the first time, the birth of his son meaning he missed the meeting.

And then there was the 50-40 victory by a depleted Tru7 Group Tigers side, in a meeting that saw skipper Kyle Howarth back to his exciting best. And on top of that was the aggregate bonus point, also secured by Sheffield.

Howarth scored nine, paid 10, from six rides on the night, with boss Simon Stead rewarding a battling performance with a place alongside Chris Holder in heat 15.

And Howarth was good value for his place, battling back in with typical determination to secure a point, overtaking Richard Lawson late on in a race won by Holder, a 4-2 success for Tigers.

Sheffield had led the meeting from heat two, with reserve Jason Edwards, returning from injury, and guest Jake Mulford, standing in for the injured Dan Gilkes, having secured a 5-1 over Drew Kemp and Sam Hagon..

After a 4-2 reverse in heat three after Chris Holder suffered mechanical problems, Tigers Holder and Howarth restored the four point lead after heat five, Holder overtaking Max Fricke.

Sign up for our free newsletters today They extended the lead in heat 12, with Mulford a heat winner, holding off Richard Lawson as Sheffield won 4-2. Successive heat wins in nine and 10 followed, with Tai Woffinden and guest Rory Schlein, standing in for the injured Josh Pickering, battling back to a 4-2 heat advantage in heat 10, having both trailed to Ryan Douglas and Sam Masters at the start of the race.

Trailing by 12, Leicester cut the deficit to eight after heat 11, with their own 5-1 after Woffinden started from 15m back after a tapes offence.

Schlein and Woffenden restored the 12 point lead in heat 13 with a 5-1, before Masters and Hagon did the same for Leicester in heat 14, before Tigers ended the night with that heat 15 success.

Sheffield remain third in the table.

Sheffield 50: Chris Holder 14, Tai Woffinden 11, Kyle Howarth 9+1, Rory Schein 8+2, Jake Mulford 5+1, Jason Edwards 3, Jack Holder R/R

Leicester 40: Ryan Douglas 10+1, Richard Lawson 9+1, Luke Becker 6+1, Sam Masters 6, Sam Hagon 4+1, Max Fricke 3, Drew Kemp 2+1

Table: Ipswich M 9 Pts 18, Belle Vue 10 17, Sheffield 7 12, Oxford 9 11, Leicester 8 9, Birmingham 9 3, Kings Lynn 8 1.