Speedway: More misery for Sheffield as Leicester beat Tigers for fifth time this season
Sheffield suffered their fifth defeat of the season to Leicester, but skipper Josh Picking refused to blame the Lions being a bogey team for the Tigers.
Sheffield led for only two heats, after heat one and heat three, in an evening which saw many shared races. But the Tru7 Group Tigers were unable to claw back a six point deficit after heat nine, and only won two heat advantages on a night which saw eight 3-3 races.
The defeat means Leicester leapfrog Sheffield into third in the Rowe Motor Oils Speedway Premiership, Tigers dropping to fourth.
Afterwards, Pickering said the meeting was not how they had planned out. after a good away performances at Leicester last week.
He said; “They're just a good side.
“You can't say they're a bogey team as such for us. It's just they're a world-class side with world-class riders. So they’ve done very well covering (injured rider) Luke Becker's facility, while they've been doing RR (rider replacement) .
“I don't actually know how (guest rider) Richard Lawson scored tonight. But they brought him into the side and then just let the boys just do their all normal races without chopping and changing.
“it's just back to the drawing board for us. We're not here, I think, now until the August 11. So we’ve got a bit of work to do.”
Sheffield took an early 4-2 lead in the meeting after heat one, as Jack Holder elbowed his way past Max Fricke on the first lap after the Leicester rider had been first out of the tapes from gate four.
But Leicester levelled with their own 4-2 in heat two, Drew Kemp winning the heat after Leon Flint had battled his way past Joe Thompson to take second for Tigers.
Josh Pickering won heat three in a Sheffield 4-2, after passing early leader Ryan Douglas, but Leicester levelled again in heat four, won from the gate by Sam Masters.
Leicester took the lead on the night after heat five, Pickering first out of tapes, but quickly passed by Fricke, as Richard Lawson took third in the visitors’ 4-2.
Sam Masters won heat six ahead of Anders Rowe and Jack Holder in a shared heat six, with heat seven also shared, Chris Holder winning ahead of visitors Douglas and Kyle Howarth.
Heat eight was another shared heat, won by Flint for Tigers ahead of Lawson and Thompson. But Leicester extended their lead to six point with a 5-1 in heat nine, as winner Drew Kemp, and Masters, displayed great team riding to keep Pickering back in third.
Jack Holder won heat 10, a 3-3 ahead of Douglas and Howarth, with heat 11 also seeing shared points, Chris Holder winning ahead of Fricke and Lawson.
Sheffield played Jack Holder as a tactical substitute in heat 12. But it was Douglas who won the race for Leicester, from the gate, Holder second and Pickering third in a 3-3.
Heat 13 saw another 3-3, Fricke ahead of Jack and Chris Holder.
Tigers tried another change in 14, rising star Flint coming in for Kerr. Although Flint won the heat, Tigers team mates Justin Sedgmen was last behind Howarth and Thompson . The 3-3 secured victory for the visitors
The final heat also ended 3-3, Jack Holder passing Masters on the second bend of the final lap, to win the race. Howarth was third ahead of Chris Holder.
Sheffield 42: Jack Holder 14+1, Chris Holder 9+1, Leon Flint 8, Josh Pickering 7+1, Anders Rowe 3, Lewis Kerr 1, Justin Sedgmen 0
Leicester 48: Sam Masters 10+1, Max Fricke 10, Ryan Douglas 9, Drew Kemp 6, Kyle Howarth 5+3, Joe Thompson 4+2, Richard Lawson 4+1.
Leicester win aggregate point