Speedway: Sheffield Tigers ‘will struggle to make play-offs’ if they fail to shake off poor form

Sheffield have been told to up their game if they are to reach the play-offs.
Sheffield Tigers co-promoter Damien Bates with Zaine Kennedy. Picture: Taylor LanningSheffield Tigers co-promoter Damien Bates with Zaine Kennedy. Picture: Taylor Lanning
Sheffield Tigers co-promoter Damien Bates with Zaine Kennedy. Picture: Taylor Lanning

Tigers have so far failed to live up to the pre-season hype surrounding their exciting team with too much inconsistency creeping in.

Co-promoter Damien Bates is frustrated by recent results and is urging riders to cut out their teething problems.

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He said: “We’re not getting the results we should be right now and we need to see an improvement from the lads.

“The weekend was a prime example, on another day we could easily have lost at home to Berwick but we managed to pull through in the end.

“We just seem to be making silly little mistakes and this is something we need to correct. If we keep dropping points here and there it could cost us.

“On current form we are going to struggle to make the play-offs, you only have to look at our results so far.

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“We’re now in a position where we have to start winning away and to do that the lads have to up their game.

“We lost five in six in the month of April which cost us a shot at the Championship Shield and we cannot have any complaints.”

Tigers are at Glasgow next Tuesday in Knockout Cup action and start as massive underdogs because they were held back to a 45-45 draw in the home leg.

“We have to go there and try and get on the front foot, but we know it won’t be easy,” said Bates.

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“Glasgow are a good side and all we ask is that we go there and give our all and see where that takes us.

“Then we are back in league action at Eastbourne on Saturday week before our next Owlerton meeting against Scunthorpe on June 2 – and that should be a cracker, but we need our lads to be in form.”

Tigers have a blank date this Sunday after they tried to get teams to switch dates and come along and fill the fixture.

They even considered a National League standard event but after a poor turnout for the recent Top Gun meeting they pulled the plug.