Speedway: Sheffield battle back to draw at Ipswich and lift KO Cup

Tigers were eight points down after heat four at Foxhall, but a strong finish ensured victory over the two legs for Sheffield over Ipswich.

With the cup secured, Sheffield number one Jack Holder said: "It feels great . This is tough place. It’s not how you start it's how you finish. That's for you, Sheffield." 

Sheffield had secured a 20 point lead through their 55-35 win at Owlerton. But the Tru7 Group Tigers suffered a bad start at Foxhall, losing 5-1 as Tom Brennan and Adam Ellis finished ahead of Jack Holder, Kyle Howarth failing to finish due to mechanical problems.

Then Dan Giles had problems in heat two when his bike did not start before the race because of carburettor trouble, meaning he started from 15m back after missing the two minute time allowance. 

But Gilkes moved to overtake James Pearson though, with Jason Edwards finishing second as the heat was drawn 3-3.

Josh Pickering was Sheffield's first heat winner in a 3-3 in heat three. Tigers had at one stage looked set for a 5-1.

Ipswich narrowed the gap further with a 5-1 heat advantage in heat four, as Danny King and Dan Thompson got the better of Kyle Howarth and Dan Gilkes.

Kyle Howarth took second and Jack Holder finished third as heat five was drawn 3-3, won by Keynan Rew for Ipswich.

Witches won heat six 4-2,  Edwards overtaken on the last lap by Adam Ellis, and Pickering just failing to catch winner Danny King. That put the gap down to 10 points. 

Tigers finally claimed a heat advantage when Chris Holder took first place in heat seven ahead of Pickering to secure a 5-1 over King and Pearson. 

Sheffield skipper Howarth led from the second bend to win heat eight, ahead of Thompson and Ellis, in a drawn heat. 

But Ipswich restored their 10 point lead on the night as Rew and Brennan beat Jack Holder and Edwards in heat nine. 

Heat 10 saw Sheffield extend the aggregate lead to 14 points as Chris Holder won ahead of Pickering.

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Tigers secured a 5-1 in heat 11 as a win for Jack Holder ahead of second placed Howarth meant the aggregate lead was back up to 18. Howarth looked back to his best, passing both King and Pearson in one move on lap one. 

Tigers put themselves within a point of winning the Cup  in heat 12. as Chris Holder took second place behind Rew, Ipswich winning 4-2.

Then both Holder brothers secured the cup, Chris winning ahead of Jack in a 5-1 over King and Ellis in heat 13.With the cup won by Tigers, Tom Brennan finished ahead of Pickering in a 4-2 in heat 14, Pickering coming back from third. 

And a 4-2 win for Tigers in heat 15, with Pickering ahead of Rew, and Howarth in third, meant the meeting ended at 45-45, Tigers winning 100-80 on aggregate.

Sheffield’s next meeting will see them travel to Manchester on Monday September 16, in the first leg of their Rowe Motor Oil Speedway Premiership play-offs semifinal against Belle Vue.

Premiership KO Cup Final, second leg

Ipswich 45: Keynan Rew 14, Tom Brennan 9+2, Dan Thompson 9+1, Danny King 9, Adam Ellis 4+2, James Pearson 0, Jason Doyle R/R.

Sheffield 45: Josh Pickering 14+2, Chris Holder 11, Kyle Howarth 9+1, Jack Holder 8+2, Jason Edwards 2, Dan Gilkes 1+1, Tai Woffinden R/R.

Sheffield win 100-80 on aggregate.